Untouchable
by AdventsExodus
Summary: "Remember this well: There are things in this world that truly are untouchable." Rated T for language and some underlying themes
1. Thirty-Second Destination

**Ch. 1 - Thirty-Second Destination**

" _The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started."  
_ \- Norman Cousins

"Attention: Flight 382 to Cairo, Egypt will now begin boarding. Passengers, please report to gate 17…" the overhead voice instructed plainly through the crowded airport, most occupants already having let it go in one ear and out the other as it repeated the message twice more – third time being slightly buffered by the sound of a pleasant stretch after a seven hour journey.

"Finally! I thought that flight would never end," a sour remark grumbled from the lips of a young teen, his dark, almost black navy hair ruffled unceremoniously as if just waking up from a sleepless night.

"Come now, it wasn't that bad. I actually thought it was a marvelous journey. How many people can say they've seen the sunrise from 10,000 feet in the air?" a much cheerier reply came from his older yet still young companion, his caramel eyes sparkling with fresh delight in the memory.

"At least 300 people on our flight alone. Bet it was grand, sure hope they didn't go blind," the first muttered sullenly.

The second frowned as their final traveling companion, a young woman, spoke up, nudging the first, "Oh lighten up Jay. You're just sulking because you started crying when we landed."

"I was not!" Jay snapped back furiously, swatting away her hand, "That idiot pilot was going to kill us all. He's lucky that last gust of wind knocked us back on course or there'd be one less flight to Cairo."

"Oh? And you think you could've landed the plane better? That's rich. I can see the headlines now: _Moody Teen Lands 747 at Narita International Airport Saving Novice Pilot from Ten-Mile Winds_. Such a legendary feat indeed," she rolled her eyes.

"Piss off Ari," Jay growled, while their fellow traveler mused, "That'd be quite the story. I'd enjoy reading it."

"It would be something – much better than those lousy magazines," Ari agreed, nodding her head with the man, actions only serving to anger their companion more so.

"You can both go to hell," Jay said irately, picking up his pace so they had to adjust theirs as well or risk losing the smaller teen in the crowd.

"Ah, wait Jay! You have our tickets too," the man called after him, jogging slightly to catch up.

"Don't worry Tuck, he won't make it past security without us," Ari reassured, having to go a little faster to keep up with his longer legs.

"That's what you think," Jay called back in annoyance, "I'd like to see them try and stop me."

"Sure, you'd just hand them my ticket and explain how you're a 21 year old female instead of a hormonal teenager. Perfect plan," she replied evenly, finally catching up as he grumbled.

"You're the worst."

"I know. Now how about we get a move on? Train isn't gonna wait forever, you know?"

…

Scenery blurred past them without form, Ari's sea-green gaze taking it all in wearily from where she sat beside Jay who had passed out soon after boarding the high-speed rail. Across, Tuck perched like a young child on top of his seat, gazing out in wonder at the seemingly identical fields as if each one was a different planet entirely. The young woman smiled softly, what an odd bunch they were – the youngest acting as if he knew it all while the eldest was practically a child most of the time in his wondering of every sight they came across since beginning their nomadic lifestyle seven years ago.

Ari exhaled. Seven years, huh? Had it really been that long ago since they left Rothenberg? Since Jay… She let the memories drift away. After almost a full day of nothing but travel, the last thing she wanted clogging her head was that. Not just for herself, but for the others as well. Both were just as exhausted – well, maybe not Tuck – and didn't need a reminder of something they obviously didn't forget anyways.

Indeed, they didn't need to dwell on such things especially after managing to board a plane rather than a boat this time around. Crossing the Pacific to Australia was hellish even for her and Tuck on the small freightliner that graciously allowed the trio passage in exchange for lackey work. Jay, on the other hand, nearly broke the railings on the rare occasion he ventured out on deck yet was fortunately taken pity on – something he seldom allowed in situations apart from those – and allowed to spend most of his time in the kitchen above deck.

Nevertheless, with a little work and vows never to experience that again, Ari managed to scramble up enough money and luck to purchase three economy class tickets. Jay still complained, saying it was only a step above the boat, but fared much better on their route to the thirty-second destination on their list, especially now that they were on solid ground. Tuck, on the other hand, took everything in fully and couldn't wait for the next flight. She hoped it'd come sooner than later seeing as most of their seven year trek occurred on foot or less modern forms of transportation, turning her and Jay's skin almost the same shade as his at some points.

Still, she smiled at Tuck's excitement as he pointed out a city on the horizon; every step was well worth it. They'd come a long way since Rothenberg, and had much more to see before coming full circle. A part of her hoped all this would last forever, and yet she knew such couldn't come to pass even if they marked every tree, blade of grass, and snowflake as a new destination. Time, however ironically it may be, was not on their side. And even with their abnormal skills, they could do nothing to stop the end from drawing ever closer.

Be that as it may, they kept their heads high and continued forward just as Tuck urged them when they first met. So long as they put one foot in front of the other, they could relish in every moment in between. And with each step, maybe, just maybe, the final destination would be easier to accept. As for now, though, their thirty-second destination arrived at the sound of the announcement above, ringing similarly to its counterpart in the airport.

Taking a breath, Ari nudged the sleeping teen, saying softly, "Come on, time to get up. We'll be arriving in a bit."

The young teen stretched his stiff form that hadn't moved at all in the two hour journey, even when Tuck toted him in between switching lines in Tokyo. Tokyo. Ari suppressed a sigh. Why couldn't that have been their thirty-second destination? It was the perfect place to sightsee like any normal tourist. Why'd they have to go here instead? She cast a frown out at the now towering skyscrapers, tensing slightly as if they were caving in on them like bear claws.

Nothing good could come of going to this place. She knew that and vehemently argued against even passing through – not because of its higher than normal crime rate, but for a much deadlier rumor. Yet despite her misgivings, Jay and Tuck insisted on visiting the city; the former arguing that it showcased the true side of Japanese urban life as opposed to the falsehood of Tokyo and held some higher meaning or whatnot that she honestly tuned out by that point. In the end, she could only hope and pray she was wrong or, at the very least, their stay would be short.

After all, nothing good could come of going to a place as infamous as Yokohama – a city not just known for its shipping ports but for mysterious groups supposedly wielding the powers of the supernatural.

Beside her, Jay nudged her, "Lighten up Ari. If you freak out anymore you'll have a heart attack and cause a scene."

"Shut up, I'm not stressing out," she muttered, turning away from his light blue gaze as he replied, "Liar, you're two seconds away from a panic attack."

Before she could defend herself, Tuck swung back around and said excitedly, "Hey, do you think we'll be able to try real ramen and sushi? I wonder if it'll taste the same as the ones we had in America. Ah, but we have to remember manners too. They're super important here, after all. I just hope I'll remember everything," he brushed a calloused hand through his short, wiry black hair and blushed lightly.

"Don't worry, I know enough to correct you when you make a mistake," Jay stated plainly, his seatmate elbowing him and adding, "What he means is that we'll help each other out so we won't make those mistakes. Besides, after watching and listening to over twenty hours of Japanese language lessons, I think we've gathered at least the basics. See?" she gestured to the ticket gatherer who smiled back at them, "She even said a while back that your Japanese was excellent. So no worries Tuck."

"Yes," the man smiled warmly at the pair, "I suppose there is nothing to be concerned about after all." Turning to peer out at the station that slowed down outside the windows, he continued, "I'm certain Yokohama will be unforgettable."

Jay nodded in agreement while Ari found the action a bit harder to replicate, previous wariness unable to disperse even from the man's words. _Unforgettable?_ She wondered as they grabbed their meager belongings and started off the train, scowling slightly as a young man with light orange hair shoved past them – nearly sending her toppling into the seat face-first. _Let's just hope it's the good kind of unforgettable._

Nevertheless, she didn't get her hopes up too high.

After all, nothing good could come from a place called Yokohama – a city known for mysterious people possessing supernatural powers.

People like them.

People who may cause their thirty-second destination to become their final destination.

* * *

Once again I defy all sanity by staring another endless fic series, but a dang good one at that c;  
Yes, I have fallen into BSD hell and am currently, and happily, drowning in this wonderful series that highlights authors I adored in the past while introducing new ones of whom I can't wait to read their works

As for the chapter, it's a little dry for an introduction - especially considering none of those wonderful characters make an appearance. I know, how dare I even call this a BSD fic? Well don't fret, they'll show up. That and we all generally know those characters as opposed to the three here in the first chapter - all brokenly created OCs that will probably spark some rage but hey if you don't like you don't have to read. That's the simple and beautiful truth of free will, which, ironically enough, is a big theme in this series as you'll soon find out.

Anyways here's some brief visual help for the wayward trio:

 _Aria Harris  
_ Age: 21  
Hair: Mahogany red (Think a slightly redder Odasaku); Long & wavy  
Eyes: Teal  
Ethnicity: English

 _Nathan Tuck  
_ Age: 35?  
Hair: Dark brown; Wind-tossed and short (A little longer than Ranpos)  
Eyes: Golden brown  
Ethnicity: African American

 _Jay Hunter  
_ Age: 17  
Hair: Blue-black; Long, usually tied back  
Eyes: Very light blue  
Ethnicity: English

And there you have it. I aim to update weekly but with the hectic schedule I have it's a tentative one so please bear with me.

Thank you, and as always feel free to review or message me with any questions!

Have a lovely day~


	2. To Catch a Thief

**Ch 2. - To Catch a Thief**

" _Why did I take up stealing? To live better, to own things I couldn't afford…"_

\- John Robie

Stale.

The air around him smelt more aged than usual – or perhaps that was simply his own exhaustion speaking. Exhaustion from the previous day. Or maybe dread of the inescapable beyond the door marked ' _Armed Detective Agency_ ' in front of him. Once he crossed its boundary, there was no turning back. A part of him felt compelled to flee, but he pressed forwards. Odd. Only a few weeks ago he'd have been happy to do just that, yet now the thought almost disgusted him. This place truly had changed him.

"Good morning," Atsushi greeted, opening the office door and instantly spotting his senior, Kunikida, in his usual spot typing up a report likely entailing yesterday's events. A little ways further, Tanizaki and Naomi glanced up from their own respective piles of paperwork and smiled back.

"Good morning Atsushi-kun," the brother responded warmly, "How are you feeling?"

"A little tired, but better," the named answered honestly, giving a slightly embarrassed expression. Through his entire time employed at the agency, rarely if ever did he see anyone look as exhausted as he felt – among those gifted, not at all. Maybe after a time he'd gain that skill.

"We're all tired after yesterday," Kunikida dismissed Atsushi's assumption roughly, his gaze remaining fixed on his laptop's screen. Glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, the man furthered, "That's no excuse, however, to fail typing up your report."

"R-Right…" Atsushi agreed, pulling over to the other side of the desk and opening an identical looking device as the one in front of his superior. With a quick input of his issued username and password, the young teen began doing just that.

Through the process, he felt as if he were thrown back in time during the events. Confusion and fear from waking up in an unknown place; anger toward Akutagawa; the desire to face his fears instead of fleeing… A phantom pain rolled down his muscles as he recalled the fight. He'd been lucky to win – lucky to survive. All thanks to Kyoka, the young ex-Port Mafia member.

Peering over the screen, Atsushi's yellow-tinged purple gaze found its way to the infirmary where the young girl lay. She'd saved his life, not once but multiple times, and yet her fate remained unclear. Despite those actions and her will to abandon that life, she'd already killed 35 people – something not very easy to just walk away from, especially when away meant the Armed Detective Agency.

Would they be able to take her in like they did him? He wanted to say yes, but her ties to Port Mafia complicated things. The underground association was notorious for underhanded methods, and spying wouldn't be beneath them. However, the mere thought of that made Atsushi sick. No way would someone be able to fake that genuinely regretful expression he witnessed on the train – nor the pure joy upon eating crepes. Kyoka may have come from a dark past, but she was different now, and he would defend her cause tooth and nail if need be.

After all, that's what Dazai did for him.

The sound of the front door opening stirred everyone to cast curious looks its way, Atsushi's eyes widening slightly at the person entering and greeting nonchalantly, "Good morning, everyone!"

Atsushi blinked at his casual smile before replying, "Good morning, Dazai-san-"

"You idiot!" he was interrupted as Kunikida furiously threw a book that landed right in the middle of the man's head, almost sending him back outside, "Where the hell have you been, you lazy ass?! If you're going to off yourself, then pick a day and stick to it instead of floundering off when something important happens!"

"But Kunikida-kun, I was doing something important this time," Dazai defended loosely, giving his partner a lax smile, "You see I-"

"What could be more important than rescuing Atsushi?" the blonde growled, taking a breath to calm himself, "Honestly, Dazai, the President put him under _your_ care. Be a bit more responsible, would you?"

Dazai blinked at the news, seemingly taking it in slowly as if needing extra time to process the information. Feeling sorry for the man, Atsushi spoke up, "Don't worry, Dazai-san. Everything worked out in the end. I'm just glad you're back after being gone for three days," he rubbed the back of his head, feeling suddenly self-conscious, "You really had me worried there for a moment."

"Please, as if anything actually happened to the guy," Kunikida argued brashly, "Don't feed his already inflated ego. He was probably sleeping in a ditch the entire time."

"Oh?" Dazai mused, suddenly leaning between the two on the table, a knowing glint in his eyes, "Didn't you know, Kunikida-kun? There are health benefits of sleeping in ditches."

"Really?" his partner blinked, previous ire turning into childlike curiosity.

"Really, really," the brunette nodded, proceeding to egg his partner into writing down an obvious falsehood before revealing the truth – a common occurrence between the odd pair. Instantly, the blonde began strangling Dazai, who laughed at his gullibility while the rest shook their heads. If not for witnessing their amazing combo first hand, Atsushi would've thought putting the two together was a mistake.

"No, but seriously," Dazai spoke up, humor fading from his tone, "I wasn't just lying around the past few days. In reality I-"

 _Slam!_

Atsushi jumped at the sound that shot through the office like a bullet, everyone instinctively tensing expect for Dazai who glanced curiously behind him where an older, nicely dressed man stood panting in the doorway, his face reddened as if he'd ran all the way from the other side of the city to get there. A mad glint filled his eyes as he pinned them on the brunette in a scrutinous manner, demanding, "Where is your finest detective? I must speak with him immediately and I will accept nothing less than the best of the best – my hotel's reputation is at stake!"

Everyone blinked at him, not knowing what to say even as another foreign voice spoke up breathlessly, revealing a thinner man bent over after chasing the former, "Marshall-sama, please, wait… You cannot just barge into a place like this. Please, you must calm down."

"How can you expect me to be calm, Jung?! We've got a crisis on our hands and none of those lousy officers can do a thing. I need – no I _demand_ someone help me," the first snapped at his subordinate before fixing his manic eyes back on them, making Atsushi and Tanizaki flinch.

Kunikida, however, remained calm and addressed the man, "Sir, your friend is right. Please, sit down and tell us what it is you need. However, I cannot guarantee we will be able to spare the manpower as this agency only deals with specialized cases."

A part of Atsushi wondered if such bluntness was wise in front of the hysterical man, but something must've clicked as the guy took a breath and growled, "Very well, but let's be quick. I don't have much time to spare as it is."

"Of course," the blonde nodded, "Keeping to one's schedule is of upmost importance, after all."

Seemingly pleased with the response, the two men followed Kunikida over to where they normally spoke with clients, Atsushi, Tanizaki, Naomi, and Dazai following close behind. Once there, the man revealed himself to be the general manager of a luxury hotel a few minutes away. Apparently he had run all the way to the agency, thus explaining part of his reddened features. The additional bit came with the reason bringing him to their door so early in the morning.

"Theft?" Tanizaki echoed, raising a brow. Indeed, Atsushi frowned, it wasn't exactly something so major as to call upon ability users. Besides, theft was inevitable in the bustling city. Perhaps that's why the police weren't satisfactory for the man.

The manager's brow twitched in annoyance as if expecting such a reaction and he snapped, "Don't take it so lightly, boy. I'm no fool, I know it is pointless to wish away thieves from such a wealthy property as mine and that my guests are high value targets, but this situation surpasses normal circumstances."

"Normal circumstances?" Dazai tilted his head, "What do you mean?"

The manager growled angrily but his assistant was the one to reply, "In the past three days we've experienced numerous complaints of guests missing highly valuable artifacts, jewelry, and money – some of which was claimed to be in their immediate possession a few minutes ago or behind locked safes."

"Are you sure someone didn't just sneak into their rooms and pick the lock?" Tanizaki inquired, "I hear it happens sometimes with hotel staff."

"My employees would never do such a thing!" the manager snapped, shocking the orange-haired teen. His assistant shot him an apologetic look as he stated, "I believe what Marshall-sama says. None of our housekeeping staff would resort to such measures. They simply aren't the types to do such, besides the locks on all our guestroom safes are biometric – so only the fingerprint of the current guest in the room may open it. Other than that, they must be opened with a key from security or with force equivalent of a small explosive."

"That is quite the dilemma," Tanizaki observed, Naomi asking beside him, "If I may ask, how much was stolen exactly?"

At the mention of an amount, the general manager's face lost some of its color and he appeared almost sick as his underling took a grounding breath and answered, "When taking into account some of our foreign guests' currency and the exchange rate along with personalized value of some of the items, approximately 120,000,000 yen in total."

Everyone's jaw dropped, Atsushi's mind barely comprehending the feat. One hundred and twenty million yen in just three days? Whoever the thieves were, they certainly perfected the art – something he couldn't have even hoped to mimic in his days before joining the agency. He wondered why they chose to go so far. Obviously they'd surpassed necessity, unless there were a bunch of them. Even then, 120 million seemed excessive.

A whistle cut through their silence as Dazai commented, "Wow, that's pretty impressive, especially not to have been caught after taking so much."

"Yes, which is why we have come to ask of your aid," the assistant bowed his head, "Please, help catch this culprit. If not for our company, then for our guests."

"Please!" the manager followed in suit, bowing low to them as if they held a magic net that would capture the culprit instantly, "I will pay generously, just stop this bastard from ruining my company and assaulting my guests!"

They all glanced at each other. Could they even accept the job with so much on their plate after yesterday's events? Apparently they still had to escort an important official – a mission put off to save Atsushi – not to mention others that currently occupied Ranpo and Kenji's time. Still, it wasn't a small problem. With the rate at which the thief was working, the hotel was going to be bankrupt and without guests by the end of the week. Atsushi frowned; they couldn't just sit back and do nothing. A quick look around revealed common feelings throughout the group.

Kunikida took a breath and looked the men squarely in the eyes, "Very well, we will take your case."

…

"Kunikida-kun, can I take a break? I'm tired," Dazai complained, his voice sounding through a small receiver on the other side of the hotel lobby where the named and Atsushi sat, the former busy looking through hours of security footage of the past three days.

"Shut up you lazy idiot," Kunikida grumbled, "You just took a break ten minutes ago. Work a bit harder and maybe you can get another."

"But Kunikida-kun…" Dazai whined as if a sulking child wanting to be carried, "Nothing has happened, no one even approached me. Maybe Atsushi-kun should take over."

"Eh?" the named blinked, but before he could say more, his coworker spoke, "No, all the reports indicate that the thief steals from wealthy men and women, not children." Atsushi gave a slightly offended look at the last word but said nothing as he finished, "Still, after how careless you've been, I'm amazed they haven't made off with everything you have including the clothes Marshall-san lent us."

Indeed, Atsushi looked out the one-way window behind the check-in desk where Dazai stood staring wearily into space. He certainly looked the part of a rich person – sporting a suit Atsushi didn't even want to know the cost of – and a briefcase full of currency, every piece of which being fake besides his clothing that must have been uncomfortable by Dazai's reluctance to wear it. Or maybe he simply didn't like high class outfits? Either way, he was the perfect one to play the part of bait, something the newest employee of the agency was simply glad he wasn't the one picked for the job for once.

After reviewing the facts on the way over, Kunikida theorized that the thief likely was an ability user given their efficiency, thus putting Dazai in line to play the victim as he would be able to neutralize and catch anyone trying to use the supernatural skill. Therefore, while he stood as the perfect target, Atsushi and his partner were busy looking for any clues in the security tapes. Unfortunately, after the first day the faces began to blend together. Added to that, nothing extreme really happened besides a small afternoon rush from a conference held in the resort.

Atsushi sighed. Perhaps they'd chosen the thief's day off.

When another couple of hours passed in which Dazai grew increasingly distracted asking any woman unfortunate enough to sit in the area to commit suicide with him and Kunikida's patience reaching its limit, they decided to call it a day. Fortunately the general manager was too preoccupied by meetings to see them come up with nothing. Atsushi shuddered, not liking the image of the man yelling that they were incompetent.

"I see, so you came up short as well. This is a bit disheartening," the assistant confessed, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.

"Don't worry, we'll find the culprit," Kunikida reassured, already having told his plans to call Ranpo as soon as he was free from his current job. Hopefully the prodigy could see what they missed.

"Ahhh," Dazai breathed in relief, back in his typical attire, "This feels much better. Like I'm back to myself again."

"Yes, you do look more like your usual self, Dazai-san," Atsushi agreed softly.

"Eh? Do you mean that I looked weird in that suit, Atsushi-kun?"

"He means that the look of a hardworking individual in society doesn't fit a lazy oaf like you," Kunikida answered for him.

"What?" the brunette said in mock offense, "That hurts, Atsushi-kun…"

"N-No, that's not what I meant!" the named fumbled with his words, "I just think you look better in your usual clothes. Not that you looked bad in Marshall-san's clothes, just I'm not used to you wearing such clothes."

At his pathetic attempt of an explanation, Atsushi hung his head and finished dejectedly, "I'm sorry, Dazai-san…"

The man chuckled, "No worries Atsushi-kun. I think you're right, those clothes don't suit me at all. Therefore you can take over when we return tomorrow, okay?"

"Eh?" he replied, familiar distaste with being bait hanging in his voice as the man smirked, placing the briefcase on the table.

"Now, let's pack up and get going. I still need to tell you all what happened these past few days," Dazai stated, flicking open the locks.

"Are you still going off about that?" Kunikida grumbled, "Give it a rest, Dazai, we all know you were just-"

He cut off as the named opened the briefcase, both staring dumbfounded at what met them as Atsushi and the assistant manager questioned, "Dazai-san? Kunikida-san? What is it?"

"The counterfeit money…" the blonde murmured, sentence finished by his partner, "Some of it is missing."

"What?!" Atsushi quickly peered between them to see a little less than half of the money inside the case gone, "How is this possible? Nothing happened, and even then Dazai-san would've noticed."

They all exchanged perplexed looks when Dazai's phone rang. Retrieving it, he conversed tersely with the person on the other line before hanging up and saying, "Whatever happened, we will deal with it later. The President wants us back at the agency."

"What for?" Kunikida asked, the other ability user just as curious. What could be so important that the president was calling them back from the field?

"Simple. He wants me to finish writing up my report on escaping Port Mafia yesterday," Dazai replied plainly, shocking them as he continued with a slightly disappointed sigh, "Looks like we'll have to put this case on hold."

…

"Aria!"

Ari looked up from where she walked down the sidewalk of one of the may seemingly identical streets of the city to find Tuck waving back at her in excitement as he approached, "There you are, I thought for a moment there you got lost. Did you find something you like?"

She shook her head, "Unfortunately no. The style here just isn't my taste, I guess."

Upon arriving in the city, they'd begun assimilating their clothes and language with the local culture, Tuck already relishing in both as he sported a new off-white dress shirt, soft blue waistcoat, grey pants, sleek yet practical black shoes, and a nice grey trench coat despite wanting to wear a more traditional haori (it took both Jay and Ari the better part of an hour to convince him that not everyone in Japan wore the clothes every day but for more special occasions). However, despite not being his first choice, the man relished in using the new honorifics as much as he could, making them chuckle at his initial insecurity. Indeed, he probably spoke more fluently than locals now.

"You would be the only picky nomad in the world," Jay commented, coming up beside Tuck to give Ari a flat look, "Just pick something and go with it already. We've been here three days now and you're _still_ in the clothes we wore in Laos. Time to donate them and move on."

She frowned at the teen, but couldn't find anything to defend herself. He was right. Any longer and she'd stick out like a sore thumb – the very thing they tried to avoid by assimilating into each new destination's culture. Out of the three, she still needed work, at least on the attire bit. Be that as it may, she couldn't help but feel as if they had it easier – especially Jay, who'd already picked out three different outfits for varying occasions, the current one being a pair of white pants, a loose long-sleeved teal shirt, black flats, and a long beige scarf with some traditional embroidery of lotuses on the edges. He even got a ribbon to tie back the longer portion of his hair and a new, sleeker walking stick.

As for her, she donned the rugged brown boots, ripped black jeans, and a dirty used-to-be-white-now-tan tank top that was mostly hidden by her hooded, grey poncho. Not exactly up to the others' standards, indeed she looked like their hoodlum friend, but she was reluctant to leave it. Everywhere she went she found nothing but skirts, and she'd be damned if she had to wear them again after their visit to an Amish community last year. Apparently it was a sin for the female gender to wear anything but skirts and dresses.

 _Bleh._ Ari scowled inwardly. Sure Japan was different, but every pair of pants she found was either way too small or fit weird. She'd just have to scout the men's section in the next store they happened across. Even then, she hoped it'd be another store in a different town. Like she predicted before setting foot here, Yokohama didn't bode well. Indeed, just yesterday they witnessed a freighter ship explode on the horizon – just the action they didn't need. And while she managed to convince them to relocate to an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city, she hadn't fared so well getting them to leave entirely. Apparently seeing every sight and eating at every authentic restaurant was more important than staying alive long enough to get to destination 33.

"Shut up, I'm too hungry to hear lecture 47 of why I need to change my outfit," Ari muttered, walking past the two to purchase some taiyaki at a stand, adding one more for Tuck who eagerly took his prize with him to marvel at a street performer across the courtyard.

"Keep the change," she instructed the man, who looked surprised yet gratefully expressed his thanks to which she waved casually in response, choosing to rest on a bench to enjoy her snack. At least the food was good here. _Not as good as candy wafers, but good enough._

"Tuck wouldn't approve of that, you know," Jay commented plainly, staring down at her with his piercing eyes that wandered briefly to the wallet in her carpetbag.

Ari scowled at him. _Just when I was beginning to relax… Although I guess he_ would _figure it out._ "What Tuck doesn't know won't kill him," she answered honestly, not even bothering to come up with a lie, "And you should be grateful, how else do you think we've afforded food and new clothes? Not to mention I have to save double for plane tickets to the mainland. Unless you want to take a ferry there."

Jay shuddered in disgust, but quickly shook it away, "Still, that doesn't mean he won't be hurt when he finds out."

She mirrored his expression. Her whole purpose in getting the funds to afford their trip was to make it as pleasant as possible for the two. She never intended to hurt either, especially Tuck. After all, the man pretty much saved the two and was like a father to them. Sure, he'd be disappointed if he found out, but with any luck he never would.

Jay sighed, "Just don't push your luck. The last thing we need is the police barging in to complicate things. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not repeat what happened in Rothenburg."

With that, the teen trotted over to where Tuck marveled at some birds, calling for him not to touch wild animals so casually, leaving Ari frowning in his wake. _What does he think I'm trying to do – build a billboard showing the world who we are and where we're staying? I'm the only one trying to get out of this wretched city. Besides, Rothenburg was an accident, it's not like any of us meant for that to happen in the first place…_

Ari huffed, taking a large bite out of the fish cake, grumbling as she chewed it, the taste suddenly not nearly as good as it was a minute ago.

* * *

Behold, a rare two chapter introduction!

Thought it'd be best to put some storyline in, especially in terms of the series, so you all could grasp when exactly everything is taking place (hint hint: It's shortly before season 1's finale)

Anyways, it's late and this is really sporadic so will probably hopefully remember to update later with more info.

As always, please review, follow, or like if you enjoyed~


	3. Scarlet Phantom

**Ch. 3 - Scarlet Phantom**

' _You can't catch the wind.'  
_ ' _And why can't I?'  
_ ' _There is nothing to catch.'_

\- Lee Felten

An extended yawn left Ari, her teal eyes scrunching up slightly to ward away the soft morning light that surrounded them, beside her Jay muttered, "Why'd we have to go so early? If it's a lighthouse, then wouldn't it be better to visit at night and thus see the light?"

"But then we'd miss out on the view in the morning," Tuck answered cheerfully, the only true early bird of the group who was also a night owl somehow, "Besides, once we finish we can go to the Yokohama Doll Museum before the afternoon rush arrives – all in all a perfect plan, don't you think?"

"Perfect if we didn't have to get up an hour before the sun was even up," Jay muttered.

"It can't be helped, we had to take the first train to get here on time," Ari defended softly, studying the map in her hands. According to it, the museum was two blocks away from the tower more formally known as Yokohama Marine Tower, which really wasn't a lighthouse at all. However, neither had the heart to tell Tuck.

Turning her gaze upwards, she saw the landmark a little ways off, the station they departed from placing them pleasingly close. Perhaps they could also wander around the park across the street for an hour or two until lunch. At the thought of food, her stomach grumbled. Apparently there was a restaurant at the top of the tower that served breakfast this morning. It likely was expensive, thus she grudgingly expected another lecture from Jay. Wasn't once enough? It wasn't like she forgot what she did.

Hopefully the food would taste better than the taiyaki.

"Well at least you're finally out of those rags," Jay stated, holding some of his bangs so that the sudden rush of wind didn't blow them in his face, "Guess you kind of had to seeing as the restaurant is pretty high class."

Indeed, they all were wearing more formal attire now – Ari grudgingly choosing to wear a vintage-like light blue, sleeveless dress. The only redeeming factors were the black leggings, comfy white boots and that the overcoat she found had a hood. Regardless, the length of the dress bothered her – hem barely brushing her mid thighs. _How can girls wear these things, especially on windy days like this?_

"Don't worry, Ari-chan," Tuck reassured, smiling warmly at her, "You look great, and I bet the food will be just as fantastic as the view."

"Let's hope so. I'd hate to wake up this early and come all this way for lousy food," Jay sighed, breathing in through his nose and adding, "At least if that's the case, there's a hamburger place nearby. Can't go wrong there."

"True, unless they serve dog meat burgers," she shuddered at the thought. Even though she knew the odds of that were slim to none, it still bothered her that one culture could view what another sees as a faithful companion as a source of nutrition. The world was indeed a vast place.

"Please, as if-"

"Eh?" Ari prompted, "As if what, Jay…?"

The woman trailed off, eyes widening as she stared back in a stupor at the teen. Nothing appeared off about him, well nothing besides the fact that he was now frozen in place. Her mind went blank. _What…?_

"Tuck?!" she reached for the man, who stared in horror at everything, golden brown eyes wide in shock.

"Time…has stopped?" he murmured shakenly.

Ari tensed, shooting a look to where Jay stood motionless, his mouth open wide – stuck in the middle of his reply. Her heart pounded. What was going on? Spinning around, she found everyone on the road similarly frozen. Even the clouds above failed to move, and everything appeared to lose a bit of its color – everything except herself and Tuck that is.

"How is this possible?" she questioned, turning to the man, "I thought you were the only one with the ability to stop time. So what's going on? Did you accidentally activate your ability?" she added the last bit in horror.

 _Ever since Adelaide, his ability had been sporadic. Could Jay's theory really be right? Is Tuck losing control? But that shouldn't be possible!_ Ari grimaced. If that were the case, then their final destination was coming up faster than any of them realized.

"No, it is someone else," Tuck answered, tone sharpening as he turned east, "There's a distortion of time in that direction. Some other ability user must have caused this."

So it was another person… Ari turned to follow his gaze. When he took a step forward, however, she snatched his hand, saying, "No, you stay here with Jay. We can't just disappear on him without warning. I'll go find out what it is and put an end to it."

For a moment, she thought he was going to argue with her, his expression void of all previous recklessness. However, he took a breath and relented, "Alright, just be safe Aria."

"Of course," she replied tersely, turning and running in the direction Tuck pointed out. Whoever stopped time, she had to find and stop as soon as possible. Every second that passed was another that she and Tuck lost forever. Ari narrowed her eyes. She knew coming here was a bad idea.

 _Where? Where is the source?!_ Her heart pounded as she ran through the streets, desperately trying to find the cause of the disturbance. How much time had passed? She scowled inwardly at herself. She should've broken down and bought the watch yesterday. She would have if not for the fact the Tower Restaurant was so expensive. Maybe she should've spent more time yesterday collecting funds.

After what felt like forever, her lungs screamed for release and Ari came to a stop in the middle of a frozen street, bent over with her hands on her knees. Just barely she could make out an anomaly nearby. Could it be the source? She hoped so. If it actually rested somewhere other than the city – like on a different continent – she was in a world of trouble. Even then, she trusted Tuck's judgement. If it truly was that far away, he'd never let her go.

Looking up, she noted in subtle surprise a familiar face on the sidewalk paused in conversing with a slightly taller blonde man. It was the very same man who'd been loitering in that resort lobby nearly all day yesterday. But this time instead of a fancy suit, he sported more casual clothes that failed to conceal the numerous bandages peering out from his rolled up sleeves and collar. Ari stared at them blankly.

What happened to him? Did he get injured yesterday, or was it before then? Suddenly she felt a bitter taste in her mouth worse than the taiyaki the previous day. As if Jay's scolding wasn't enough, now fate was reprimanding her as well? Seriously, what were the odds of meeting the guy the very next day?

Without warning, the air around her snapped back into place like a taut rubber band breaking from the strain, only the whiplash from this was much more deadly. Ari's heart leapt to her throat. What was once a safe, motionless street now returned to its usual bustling self – only now with her right in the middle of everything.

A car horn blared loudly, swiftly accompanied by screeching tires that nearly managed to conceal a few horrified yells on either side of her. Ari jerked her head left, finding a vehicle a mere five feet away and approaching fast. It wouldn't be able to stop in time even with the driver's reflexes.

Fortunately, hers were more than enough.

In a flash, she activated her ability, crouching down as low as possible. Of all the places to show it, why'd it have to be a crowded street? Now they were all that much closer to being found out by the other groups of similarly powered individuals. She could only pray they'd find out about their existence too late.

"Ability: _Free Will_ ," Ari murmured as bands of golden light began pulsing from her entire body, focusing on the car she narrowed her eyes. It was now less than a foot away. _Hmph. At least now we have a better reason to leave._

The wind rushed past her, making Ari close her eyes as her dark red hair flew rightwards in the gales. A piercing scream of the tires and onlookers rang in her ears painfully, making her wince, but in the next second the car had skidded to a stop in the thankfully empty section of the road in front of it. A nearby one in the other lane also slammed on its breaks and collided with the other, creating more chaos in the situation as Ari stood and scowled at the wreck, completely unharmed.

 _Jay's never going to let me live this down._

Not wasting a second further, she whipped around and fled down the nearest alleyway, not even bothering to look back at the stunned expressions pinned on her fading form.

…

Kunikida had seen much since joining the Armed Detective Agency, therefore not a lot surprised the part-time teacher. How could it? He dealt with supernatural every week if not every day. Nothing appeared to catch him off guard.

Well, nothing until that early-afternoon.

Today, he and countless others witnessed in astonishment as an entire seven-story building vanished in thin air. However, unlike most, he was one of the few who knew the culprit. Indeed, just yesterday they were in the Agency's office, spewing threats in order to gain their invaluable deed Taneda worked so hard to get.

The blonde grimaced. They were an organization that theoretically shouldn't even exist, yet here they were – far more powerful than he predicted. Even President was caught off guard by the grandeur of what occurred, instructing him and Dazai to investigate anything and everything they could about the mysterious Guild and its members – foremost its leader: Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald.

Kunikida pulled out his notebook and began writing down what he recalled of the man: American, Caucasian, male, approximately 190 centimeters tall and average weight, blonde with blue eyes, wealthy, leader of a secret organization called the Guild, wants the Agency's deed, ability unknown. The man frowned. There was too much missing still, such as why exactly the man wanted Atsushi, or his true intentions in pursuing their deed. Could it really be so simple as holding a monopoly on ability-user organizations?

"Kunikida-kun," he looked up to find Dazai smiling at him, a hand wrapped around his arm to stop him from taking another step into the bustling intersection, "Are you alright? You seem distracted."

"I am not," he huffed, jerking his arm back, "I'm working on profiling the Guild's leader – something you should be doing as well, mind you. After all, we still don't know why he wants Atsushi."

"That's true," Dazai mused, "And he was willing to pay so much to get him. I wonder if he knows something about Atsushi-kun that we don't."

"Obviously," Kunikida growled, "Even if his ability is impressive, surely rumor of his misfortune reached them. So why would they willingly seek out someone who may bring ruin to them? Even if it isn't true, it still doesn't fully explain his motives."

Dazai hummed in agreement, his gaze losing a bit of light as he glanced up at the sky, "Perhaps it's simply to acquire another member to his organization and increase its power. Either way, we'll find out eventually."

Yes, but when would eventually come? Kunikida scowled. They needed answers now if they hoped to combat the foreign group successfully. He opened his mouth to argue the urgency when a shrill noise of tires screeching on pavement in desperate attempt to stop joined a frantic honk. Jerking their gazes up, both men stared wide-eyed at what met them.

Right in the middle of the far lane, a young woman stood directly in the path of a blue vehicle, her sea-green eyes wide in shock as she stared at the car that desperately tried to stop in time. Kunikida's heart skipped a beat. There was no way it would succeed. They were about to witness someone get run over. But how did she get there? He could've sworn she wasn't there just a second ago.

Beside him, Dazai tensed in similar horror as other pedestrians screamed at the inevitable. But just when Kunikida was about to avert his eyes and spare himself the scene, the unthinkable happened. The young woman crouched down, something insane in his mind. Why didn't she jump out of the way? As it appeared, she was only making herself a larger target. Could she be attempting suicide? No. Far from it in fact.

Without warning, bands of golden light sprung from her form – an all too familiar sight that struck both impossibly more dumbfounded. She was an ability user? The light coming from her momentarily blinded him, causing him to miss the vital seconds in between as the car flew by and skidded to a stop, another vehicle roughly crashing into it. Kunikida's throat clenched as he turned back, expecting to see the broken body of the woman.

His jaw dropped at what met him.

The red-haired woman was standing right where she'd been, completely unaffected aside from her long braid having lost some of its former neatness, a few strands now blowing freely in the wind. How? His mind blanked, not knowing what to think even as she spun around and fled from the scene, her long grey coat flowing out behind her in the action as her form steadily disappeared in the gloomy distance.

She must've dodged the vehicle at the last minute, but then why did she crouch down? It didn't make sense. Obviously her ability was responsible for her survival – the thought sobering Kunikida greatly. Was she another member of the Guild? If he recalled correctly, there was a young red-haired woman yesterday, was she the same one?

"Hmm," Dazai finally spoke up, a newfound amusement in his tone, "We may not have found the answer we were looking for, but I believe we've located our thief – although she may be more of a phantom now that I think about it."

…

Ragged breaths left Ari's form, her legs desperately calling for rest after the second straight sprint within the same hour – well, technically the same twenty minutes given the distortion. Either way, her lungs burned but she didn't allow them respite until she knew for certain she'd gone far enough that no one followed her from the street. Once confident, she hunched over and drew in deep breaths, shaking her head to keep pieces of her now loose bangs from getting in her eyes.

 _Alright, I got away. Everything's fine. Just need to wait for Jay to find me and then leave this place once and for all…._ Her thoughts slowed in beat with her heartrate as she straightened, turning toward the harbor where she left them. _Hopefully Tuck won't be too upset that we have to leave. Although, I can always say that Kyoto has similar food – I mean it's still technically Japan, and we are a bit short for tickets so not like we're leaving the country yet…_

A sudden weight on her shoulder made Ari tense, her head whipping back to find a man staring down at her. For a brief second, she felt an unbearable iciness lying within his reddish eyes that chilled her to the bone – instincts screaming to get away. However, it vanished so quickly she almost thought she'd imagined it if not for her nerves remaining sky-high.

Who was he? Did he see her ability? Had he followed her?

"Ah, I'm sorry," the man quickly apologized, retracting his hand and giving an embarrassed look, "I thought you were someone else."

Ari frowned. If that were the case, then why'd she sense such a frightening aura from him? Whoever he mistook her for, she didn't want to know what they did to wrong the man.

Beside him, a young blonde-haired girl spoke brightly, completely oblivious to things as she tugged his sleeve, "Come on, Rintarou! We're going to be late if you keep dawdling around!"

The man chagrined, agreeing with her as they continued down the sidewalk as if nothing ever happened. Ari frowned. _That was certainly…odd._ She rubbed at her arms, not liking how the goosebumps remained on her skin. Whoever they were, they posed yet another reason to leave as soon as possible.

"Aria!" Without warning she was surrounded by a warm embrace, the familiar pine scent of Tuck filling her lungs as he hugged her so tightly she almost couldn't breathe as he continued worriedly, "There you are! I thought we'd lost you for a moment when Jay couldn't find you immediately. Are you okay? Are you hurt?!"

"I'm fine, Tuck, really," she reassured, holding onto him. His form was shaking and she feared he may be crying into her shoulder. Gently, she rubbed his head, murmuring, "Don't worry, I'm alright, see? It was only a couple of minutes, no big deal."

He nodded into her shoulder, finally pulling away and wiping his golden-brown eyes. Ari smiled softly at him. _Honestly, he's such a worrywart…_

"That man," Jay spoke up, looking where the man and young girl turned down an alleyway, "Something isn't right about him. His aura is all distorted."

Following his sharp gaze, they frowned at the news as the teen finished darkly, "We should avoid him, in fact it may be best that we leave this place altogether."

Ari blinked. To have Jay so shaken that he'd actually agree with her pleas to depart – the man must seriously have a malevolent air. Her heart picked up pace a bit as she realized she may have seriously dodged much more than a speeding car that morning.

"If that's how you feel, then it can't be helped," Tuck said, expression warming up as he turned to them, "Well, we better get going then. If this is to be our last day in Yokohama, then we have a lot to accomplish!"

* * *

Fateful meetings abound~  
Hope you all enjoy the chapter, and now this sleep deprived college kids needs to sleep before she walks into a wall

Until next time


	4. Delayed Departure

**Ch. 4 - Delayed Departure**

" _Desperation is like stealing from the Mafia: you stand a good chance of attracting the wrong attention."  
_ \- Douglas Horton

A chill sea breeze lifted Ari's coat from where she leaned on the clear glass railing of Yokohama's Marine Tower, her eyes narrowing slightly at the colder than expected gale. She knew fall was just around the corner, but even then it felt stronger than usual. Perhaps a cold front was coming in?

A few feet away, Jay huddled closer to the heater placed by their table, pulling another piece of bread from the plate in front of him and eating it in a fashion not at all unlike a squirrel. She chuckled, knowing that the sight was only thanks to the wind and that they were one of three parties at the regal eatery. Apparently it was a slow day for them, but it didn't bother the travelers. Now they had the place practically to themselves – or at least the outside since the elderly pair and solitary business man kept to the warmer interior of the establishment.

Turning back to gaze out over the choppy harbor, she felt her expression sober, a tinge of guilt hitting her hard as she once more grasped the fact she was partially to blame for their premature departure. Sure, it would happen eventually, but she felt bad that it had to come so soon even if the other two brushed off what happened earlier – Jay barely even teasing her for causing a car accident, sticking to Rothenburg with the tenacity of a cockroach.

 _"You screwed up, big deal. It could've happened to anyone."_ His words echoed through her mind when they first arrived at the tower, _"At least now we can finally be spared from your constant whining to leave. All in all, I'd say it's a small win."_

She shook her head, a small smile forming on her features. At least Tuck hadn't taken it as hard as she anticipated – the man currently on the other side of the tower gazing out at the city in wonder. Indeed, he seemed even more ecstatic that they were setting off for Kyoto in the morning, saying that now he could wear a haori without a doubt even if the other two remained by their point that the outfit wasn't often worn in public by locals, let alone foreigners.

 _At least now we can finally leave this wretched place behind us…_ She thought as her form relaxed on the railing for the first time since the events that morning and encountering the dark man earlier. They briefly discussed him and who he may be on the way, but Ari ultimately ended the unnerving topic by stating they likely wouldn't see him again in their lives and would be fortunate not to. Indeed, she _hoped_ they'd never cross paths with him or anyone associated with him within the next 24 hours.

After Adelaide, they really didn't need another major complication in their journey.

The young woman sighed, pulling up her hood and resting her head on her arms. _I knew we never should have come here… Nothing good could ever come from a place like this._

"Beautiful, isn't it?" an unfamiliar voice stated, accompanied by a hand taking one of hers in its grasp. Ari blinked, looking in mild surprise at the man who suddenly appeared next to her, his dark hair flowing in the wind, "A perfect place for a double suicide, don't you think?"

It took her a second to register what was happening and who he was, and when she did all she could say was, "Eh?"

Above his shoulder, she could make out Jay casting a curious look her way, but his form was blocked as the man leaned down and smiled brightly at her, his numerous bandages now much clearer in view. _This guy…he's the same one from the street and resort. Did he follow me?_ Ari narrowed her eyes, expression blanking upon his next words.

"Say, would a breathtaking woman like yourself join me in leaping off this tower into the next world?" he asked with upmost sincerity that took her aback. However, when his words registered, her wide-eyed expression sharpened into an icy glare.

"How dare you," she growled, not even worried about retrieving her hand, "Join you in suicide? You say that as if you ask every woman you meet the same thing."

"Well, you're not wr-"

"You scum!" she snarled, effectively silencing him as he shot a semi-surprised gaze at her fury, "Do you value human life at all? Obviously not. Even if you so badly want to end your life, it does not excuse your sheer indifference and disrespect for another's. How can you possibly ask someone – a _stranger_ you don't even know – to put an end to their life just to fulfill some sick fantasy of yours?!"

The man blinked, likely not expecting such a reaction as she finished coldly, "No. You're not scum, you're _worse_ than scum."

Snatching her hand back, she roughly pushed past the man, all traces of previous calm burned to a crisp as she glowered. _What is it with this place? Even its residents are terrible. We can't leave this hellhole fast enough._ Ari huffed, noting with an ounce of satisfaction that Tuck returned and was watching her and the man questioningly beside Jay, whose words were torn away by another gale. At least now she didn't have to go through the trouble of finding him. Hopefully convincing them to relocate would go just as smoothly.

A chuckle filled the air, causing her to pause in her tracks to scowl at the man as he turned and pinned her with a wry smile, "That was quite a look you gave me just now – exactly what I'd expect to find from a master thief."

Ari felt her stomach drop, expression deadpanning. _It isn't possible… How could he…?!_ The answer made her grimace. _That's right; he was at the intersection earlier, so he would've seen my ability in action. Damn. Of course he'd see._

"Oh? And what gives you that idea?" she replied coyly, pulling a hand behind her back and folding all but her smallest two fingers. She didn't even have to see the others to know that their calm curiosity swiftly morphed into a tense readiness. "Last I checked you were just some guy with no qualm about life and trying to end his own, not a detective. Even then, what makes you think you can catch, let alone _prove_ those accusations against me?"

His smile widened, complete indifference to her words bothering her alongside the clouded feeling she quickly gathered from the man. The more she felt it, the more unease she experienced. Something about him wasn't right – just like the older man earlier, but where his was menacing, this guy's held darkness but it was so shrouded by other things every time she tried to grasp it, it slipped through her fingers.

 _This guy…_ She narrowed her eyes, shifting into a defensive position. _He's dangerous._ _Still…_ Ari smirked slightly, _it's not like he can even touch me._

"Oh?" his tone sharpened, eyes losing a hint of their previous informality, "Do you want to make a bet then?" She stared at him emotionlessly as he shifted toward her, "Winner buys the loser drinks."

Ari blinked but then shook her head and laughed, "Talking about a bet so casually now of all times? You really are weird one." Meeting his gaze she finished, "Fine, I'll accept. But don't worry, you won't have to spend a dime on me – I'll be long gone before you have a chance to wake up."

He smirked confidently, not even a bit disturbed by what she said, "Just try it."

Ari scowled, activating her ability and pinning him with a deadly stare as the golden bands of light flowed around her, "Don't cry when I wipe that smug grin off your face."

In the next second she jumped, aiming a precise kick at his face only for the man to swiftly dodge and roll so that they switched positions. However, without a target, her assault continued much further – enough to propel her over the edge of the tower. The man shot a shocked look back, eyes showing genuine confusion as a clear question of her motives flashed through his features at which Ari's chuckle quickly sobered.

"What? You looked like you were actually scared for me a second there," she stated haughtily, folding her arms and staring down at him, "Don't tell me those words earlier were all just a ruse to break the ice."

The man frowned, red-brown eyes sharpening as he stared at the young woman standing effortlessly on thin air, his lips curving up as he deduced, "I see, so your ability allows for levitation. Not particularly unique, I must say."

Ari's brow twitched at the barbed comment, expression soon molding back into a superior one, "Please, I'm one of a kind. And you're close, but not quite there buddy. My ability is _far_ more than a simple parlor trick like this," she punctuated by flipping over, letting the added inertia and gravity strengthen her kick, "But if you manage to remember all this when you wake up, I'll send a postcard congratulating your attempt."

Right when her boot's heel was inches away from his head, the man smirked – action thoroughly catching Ari off-guard alongside another point. _He's making no attempt to dodge this time. What is he…?_ Her thoughts stopped as he promptly caught her attack, scrunching down a bit from the force.

His fingers wrapped around her ankle as Ari stared at him, stunned by the block, while he said with a note of admiration, "That was quite the kick. Not the most powerful I've seen, but pretty close. Indeed, it could've easily knocked me out if you managed to connect. However," his eyes instantly grew ten degrees colder, "you're no match for me."

Suddenly, bands of blueish-white light sprung from him, Ari gawking at its familiarity. _He's an ability user?!_ Noting her newfound understanding, he smiled, "Yes, I too am gifted with an ability – one that nullifies any other by a simple touch."

 _Simple touch…?!_ Ari gasped, feeling her power vanish in the blink of an eye only to be replaced by a quick rush of air that ended in an unceremonious landing on her back. The pain momentarily sent stars in her vision and she groaned while beginning to sit up only to have the newcomer lower himself so they were eye to eye, snatching up her arm in a vice grip and saying cheerfully, "Gotcha."

The young woman scowled, hating the feeling of helplessness that quickly surrounded her. Be that as it may, it swiftly departed upon hearing Tuck and Jay cry out respectively: "Aria!" "You bastard, get away from her!"

They glanced over where the two glared at him, Ari staring in horror as the man merely tilted his head, "Oh? Are these your companions?"

"Don't you dare touch them!" Ari snarled, instincts screaming to keep his attention on her and coming out successfully as he turned back, "They've nothing to do with this. It was all me, _only_ me."

For a moment, her heart pounded painfully, wondering whether he'd actually listen. A brief relief came when he responded, "What's this? Are you confessing to the crime, Aria-chan?"

The woman glowered, not sure whether his usage of her name or the fact she really was confessing to the jerk disgusted her more, "Yes, now get on with it and turn me into the police or whatever."

For a moment, the man stared at her as if dissecting every bit of who she was and what she said, making her feel all that more uncomfortable. But just as quickly as it came, it vanished as he chuckled, "That won't be necessary, you see," he pulled out a small item from his coat pocket, opening it to reveal an I.D. with his photo underneath an official symbol bearing the name 'Armed Detective Agency', "I _am_ the police."

 _Armed Detective Agency? You've got to be kidding me. He's one of them?_ Ari grimaced, staring at the card as if it were responsible for her situation. The man's name seemed to fill her with just as much annoyance as its owner: Dazai Osamu. Before she could say a thing, movement from the corner of her eyes caused her head to whip around to find Jay and Tuck swiftly making their way toward her.

Alarm filled her being, and she quickly yelled while the agent curiously glanced their way, "No! Don't come!"

The pair stopped in their tracks, shooting pained, confused looks her way that tore at Ari's heart, but not as much as the next part. Steeling her gaze, she commanded, "Go. If you don't run now, it'll only complicate things further. I made this mess, and _I_ will clean it up."

"Aria…" Tuck murmured, looking as if he were about to cry while Jay appeared beside himself at the mere thought of leaving her, "You idiot! Do you think we actually care about that? No way! We're not-!"

"Stop being so selfish!" Ari snapped, silencing the teen who shot a shocked look her way, "For once in your life, listen to me and run! I won't be the reason we stop here, so get a move on!"

Jay scowled, looking ready to argue when Tuck placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. The action appeased him if only a bit as he turned his ice blue eyes back on her and growled, "Fine. But you better not make us wait too long. You're the one who wanted to leave so badly in the first place."

Ari gave a small, grateful smile and nodded, heart beginning to relax as they quickly snatched up their bags from the table and made their way inside only to have their escape cut short. The red-haired woman's blood turned to ice as a tall, blonde man stood in their way, narrowing his eyes behind a pair of thin glasses, "Sorry, but we can't let you leave yet. Since you're associated with the culprit, you're liable as well."

The woman glared at him, adrenaline rushing through her veins and giving her the energy to shove away the first agent. She managed a few steps, mind desperately screaming to save them, before the brunette wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her back so that she hung an inch above the ground. Shooting him a wild look, she practically screamed, "I thought I told you they have nothing to do with this! Leave them alone!"

"Sorry, but Kunikida-kun is right, we can't just let them leave," he answered smoothly, "Besides, drinking is always better with company, don't you think?"

"Bastard…!" she glared at him, breathing becoming more laborious as his arm dug into her lower lungs, forcing her to push up with a hand to ease the task if only a little. Despite his thin appearance, his grip was far firmer than she expected.

He gave a small smile before turning back to the three, "Don't be so upset. At least this way you don't have to separate, right?"

Ari frowned, letting her eyes trail over to where the man, Kunikida if she heard correctly, stared down at her companions, reaching out to Jay, "Alright, now if you'd come wi-"

The man didn't have the chance to finish as the teen swiftly jabbed him in the chest, sending him to the ground, his glasses skewed as he stared into the air with a stunned expression. Ari's heart lifted in relief as Jay tugged Tuck forward, yelling, "Come on!"

Just as they were about to cross the threshold, the air around her whirled and she was jerked about as the first agent jumped up and balanced precariously on the railing, wind blowing at their hair and coats from the extended height as he spoke up, "Now, now, no need to leave so soon. You wouldn't want to turn your back on saving two people from accidentally falling over the edge, would you?"

Tuck and Jay stared in mirrored horror as Ari tensed in his grip, teal eyes wide. Such a fall normally wouldn't bother her, but his ability changed things. So long as he remained in contact with her, she couldn't prevent either of them from going splat on the pavement far below. For the first time since gaining her gift, the young woman shook from their height and the prospect of free falling without a parachute.

Still, the feeling failed to compare to the resounding dread the trio felt as his companion groaned, beginning to recover as he instructed warmly, "See? That wasn't so bad. Now, let's get back to the Agency, shall we? I think I've had just about enough of this view."

…

"…all of which accounts for at least a million yen in damages, not including those incurred on secondary parties and the charges of assaulting two agents while attempting to flee," Kunikida listed, his voice long since having become a nuisance to Ari's ears from where she sat on a bench with Tuck and Jay inside one of the Armed Detective Agency's rooms typically suited for more sensitive requests. She didn't know why they bothered as the room was practically full of curious eyes trained on them.

"Well?" the blonde agent snapped, "Do you have anything to say for yourself?! And quit yawning like you're about to pass out, you're just as guilty brat," he directed toward Jay, anger spiking at his impartiality.

"Of what? Self-defense? What was I supposed to do when a strange man tried to grab me?" Jay retorted, returning the man's glare, "Besides, I didn't even hit you that hard."

"You nearly gave me a concussion!" Kunikida rebutted furiously.

Ari suppressed a groan, wanting nothing but to bury her head in her hands. She thought the car ride over was bad, but this was much worse. From the moment they set foot in the office they'd been stared at like some circus act and then forced to listen to this guy's droning voice list every case of theft in the resort linked to her. Every single one. If not for the fact that her nerves were on edge already from entering the office with the other two, she'd have passed out.

Laughter sounded close beside her, making Ari's brow twitch in annoyance as Dazai teased the man, "Don't worry, Kunikida-kun, we won't tell anyone that you were beaten by a blind kid. Although I have to say it was quite the sight, no pun intended Jay-kun."

"You bastard…" Kunikida shot him a sullen glare while Jay spat, "Shut up! I'm not a kid!"

Ari rolled her eyes, already witnessing the conversation seven times on the journey there and their arrival. What did they think the moody teen was doing with a walking stick in the middle of the city? Keeping it close in the occasion a mountain suddenly springing up in downtown? _These idiots…_

"Give it a rest," she growled, adding with more irritation while turning to snap where Dazai sat so close they were touching, "And have you ever heard the term 'personal space'?! Back off already!"

"Sorry," he responded completely unapologetically, "But after all the effort it took in finding you I don't want to risk you slipping away."

She bristled, "I told you a thousand times already: I'm not going to use my ability – so move over! And if you're going to apologize at least mean it!"

The man merely tilted his head and smiled, not budging an inch – action serving to annoy Ari further as she spat insults at the man, trying her best not to strangle him. Beside her, she could vaguely hear Jay's smart-aleck replies to Kunikida's ever raising voice. She could only imagine what they must look like to the other two members in the room. Then again the traveler could care less, already forming an escape plan in her mind.

Be that as it may, the two conversations quickly came to a halt as Tuck snapped, "Jay, Aria, that's enough!"

Both shook, staring in astonishment and guilt at the man who pinned them with a disapproving look. The rare few times he spoke out as such Ari could count on her hand alone, which meant nothing good for them currently. While she could still feel Dazai's leg brushing against hers, a layer of shock prevented her from lashing out. Luckily the outburst held similar effect in quieting the others as well.

"Please, forgive them, they're just a bit tired from the day's events," he solemnly apologized to Kunikida, action springing Ari back into reality.

"What do you mean? Half of it was their fault to-"

"Aria!" Tuck snapped, making the named flinch as he turned toward her, golden eyes swimming with anger that took her aback. It subdued a bit but was replaced with notes of betrayal and sorrow as the man continued softly, "Why didn't you tell me we were short on funds? I could have helped – Jay too. We've done so before, so why resort to stealing?"

The young woman averted her gaze, shame making her feel ten times sicker than the previous day, "I'm sorry Tuck."

He frowned and exhaled wearily, "We'll talk about it later, as for now," he returned his attention to Kunikida and the other agents who stared at the trio in building curiosity, "Please forgive her for any harm she may have caused earlier, Kunikida-kun, Dazai-kun."

"No worries, it was a good way to stretch," the dark haired man answered sunnily, disposition making Ari irritated but she dare not speak out after Tuck's scolding.

"So, are you all ability users Mister?" one of the other three, a teen looking younger than Jay with rustic attire inquired, his brown eyes wide in curiosity.

Tuck smiled softly, "Please, you may call me Tuck. As for your question, we are."

"Wow, that's cool. What types of abilities are they?" the teen furthered, adding with a pure expression, "And sorry for not saying earlier: I am Miyazawa Kenji, nice to meet you Tuck-san."

"Don't worry, we did cause a bit of confusion coming in so suddenly. Besides, we hardly introduced ourselves either, so let me get to that first," he reassured before holding out a hand and gesturing to Jay, "This is Jay Hunter, or I suppose Hunter Jay would be more appropriate in your language. His ability is called ' _The Sight_ ' which allows him, among other things, to perceive the life force of all things in addition to manipulating it at will – including temporarily displacing it, which is what happened earlier to Kunikida-kun."

They all blinked, turning their gazes on the blonde as Tuck chagrinned, "I'm afraid Jay was speaking the truth earlier when he said he didn't hit you hard. You were simply experiencing your life force being disarranged slightly. Luckily, the reversal process is quite simple, and after some rest you should fully recover."

Kunikida raised a brow, hand unconsciously rising to the sore spot on his solar plexus before going to write something in his notebook, "I see. I'll make note of it for future reference then."

"So, you can actually see us? Like really see us?" Kenji's companion, a slightly older teen with off-white hair inquired, eyes an odd purple with tints of yellow.

This time Jay spoke up, crossing his arms, "Of course not, I am _blind_ remember? Blind people can't see anything." His harsh words made the agent flinch as he continued plainly, "My ability allows me to _perceive_ where you are. I can't _see_ anything, but I can make out different people and things based on their energies."

"I-I see," the teen replied, a weak smile on his face that faltered upon noting Tuck's gaze, "Ah, that's right, I didn't introduce myself either: my name is Nakajima Atsushi."

"Nice to meet you, Nakajima-kun," Tuck warmly replied, finishing by gesturing to Ari, "Your colleges may already be aware, but this is Aria Harris and her ability allows her to choose anything in existence that she wishes to touch or not. It is called ' _Free Will_ '."

"I see, so earlier you weren't actually levitating but choosing to touch the air; and before, in the intersection, you chose not to touch the car. Interesting. It's the perfect ability for a thief," Dazai mused, making the woman grimace as they all stared at her.

Fortunately, Tuck pulled their gazes back to him as he finished, "And finally, I am Nathan Jesse Tuck, but, like I said, Tuck alone is more than enough. As for my ability, well," he blushed a little and scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment, "I am immortal."

For a brief second, the four agents merely blinked at the man, minds still registering what he said while his companions observed soundlessly even after the expected outburst of disbelief, "What?!"

A barrage of questions came Tuck's way from all four, Kunikida inquiring of a more specific definition while the other teen asked if it simply meant regenerative powers like his own, and Kenji simply marveling at it, "Wow that sounds amazing! To live forever…it sounds like fun!"

At the comment, Tuck flinched but recovered so quick that barely anyone noticed, "Ahh, yes I suppose it does have its benefits."

Ari frowned, letting their conversation fade along with Dazai's muttering that he was grateful he didn't inherit such an ability. _Just immortality? He's sure cutting them off short, but I guess it's for the best. The little they know, the easier it'll be to get out of here._

The snapping shut of Kunikida's notebook drew everyone's attention as he pushed back his glasses and stated, "Thank you for the introductions, but I'm afraid it doesn't change much of anything in regards to the situation at hand. If it weren't such a sizeable amount, we may have been able to let Aria off, but such simply is not the case. Be that as it may, I can see that neither you nor Jay was involved, so you are free to go as you wish."

At the return to reality, Ari met his gaze evenly as he furthered, "As for you, we will have to wait and see what the sentence will be. Given your ability, however, I don't believe it will entail a simple prisoning."

The room seemed to chill at the ominous note in his voice, Jay tensing – ready to leap to her protection until Ari spoke up, "Of course, take all the time you need." He frowned at this but she ignored the agent and instead turned toward her companions, "You two should go, the train leaves early tomorrow morning and you still haven't fully packed, Tuck."

"What are you blabbering on about," Jay growled, "We're _not_ leaving you behind."

Ari scowled at the teen but before she could speak, he continued heatedly, "No, don't waste your breath Ari. Earlier was an entirely different matter. Whatever mess you made we'll clean it up together – just like always."

She frowned at him even as Tuck added, "I agree with Jay. It's best we stay together; besides, there'll always be another train we can take, it doesn't have to be tomorrow."

Exhaling, she shook her head, touched and somewhat glad for their loyalty yet also irritated and worried about them sticking around the murky city. Sure, unity was good, but she rather they were safe and alive while being apart for a bit than together and in prolonged danger. Still, she was in no position to say anything – none of them were. Yes, they may be able to stay, but that didn't change the fact she was caught, and they really could do little to help in that matter.

"Um…" they looked over to where Atsushi took a step forward to stand somewhat in between her and the blonde, "Kunikida-san, wouldn't it be possible for Harris-san to work off her debt by taking jobs for the Agency? I-I mean, after all, she is an ability user…"

"Eh?" Ari's eye twitched, instantly jumping to the worst-case scenario of being stuck with Dazai for the rest of the year. _I'd rather scrub toilets with my toothbrush than spend another second with this ass._

"If that is possible, then please split the debt three ways and let us help," Tuck requested, standing up from his spot, "We may not look like much, but we can at least assist you in your work – that way you won't have to worry about Ari running away and she'll be able to pay it off faster."

Kunikida frowned, "While the idea sounds good, we cannot afford to watch after someone at the moment. I'm sorry."

"But…" Atsushi trailed off, standing as the picture of Jay and Tuck's disappointment – although Ari silently breathed relief. If she was going to escape, she needed to be as far away from the place as possible, not in it every day. The red-head frowned. Tuck certainly knew this, so why did he support the idea? A sickening feeling weighed down her stomach. He must be truly angry with her to stay despite the city's underlying taint.

"I don't know about that, Kunikida-kun," Dazai spoke up, "They are three new ability users that are offering their assistance. If anything, they'd be great help in distributing the work among everyone evenly and helping out in small tasks. As for Aria-chan, it's probably better this way since she's less likely to run off with her companions also remaining here."

The blonde sighed, "Even if your idea works, where will they stay? We're short on room as it is – we can't simply board three more people."

"We can figure that out later," the brunette responded making his partner scowl at the spontaneous arrangement.

"Dazai, we can't just let them into the Agency – one of them was just arrested for stealing," he argued.

"I'm right here, you know," Ari muttered sullenly, eyes widening in hope seconds before returning to their previous annoyance as Dazai stood yet kept close to her nonetheless. _Can I not catch a break?_

Kunikida ignored her, instead continuing, "I may have accepted Jay and Tuck working, but I cannot allow Aria as well. It's too risky."

"Fine, then let me go to jail, I'll be happy," she stated yet was once more overlooked as Dazai rebutted, "But they just gave a moving speech about staying together. Surely you're not so cruel as to pull them apart after that, Kunikida-kun?"

He shot Dazai an irritated glare that clearly said 'No, but the situation isn't exactly ideal now is it?'. However, before he could say a thing, the door opened to reveal a man with pale hair and flint-blue eyes staring sharply at the group, the three newest gazing with varying levels of emotion that spanned from Ari's indifference to Tuck's admiration directed at his attire.

"President?" Kunikida inquired with a note of surprise as the man gazed over the trio, ending with Ari who met it evenly. This went on until the woman felt a bit uncomfortable under his attention just seconds before he abruptly turned and stated, "They will stand as temporary agents until the debt is paid."

While a good amount of the room exchanged relieved, happy smiles – aside from Kunikida who gave an exhausted breath and muttered something about complications and such – Ari finally stood and addressed the man, annoyance sparkling in her aqua eyes, "Hey, did any of you actually _ask_ if I wanted this?"

They blinked, the man glancing back momentarily before stating simply, "It is either this or we will seal you away."

Ari chagrined. _With how you put it, that's not really a choice at all._

"Don't worry, Aria-chan," Dazai hooked an arm around her shoulders, "It'll be fun, you'll see."

"I can't wait," she muttered sarcastically as the others began conversing about possible living arrangements, retrieving their belongings, and the like. She ignored them mostly, instead trying to get as much distance as possible between herself and the bandaged man.

In all honesty she could care less about where they were staying. As soon as night fell, she was getting out and dragging Tuck and Jay if need be. Their departure may be delayed, but Ari vowed it wouldn't last past the end of the week if only to get away from the man beside her.

* * *

So sorry for the delay! And just a heads up finals week has come and will probably delay the next chapter, but don't fret it will eventually make it c;

As for the chapter, go cliche meeting and ice breaker for Dazai, but hopefully we'll all be able to put up with these moments and Ari's kinda awkward first words to him (yes I know, hardly the thing a normal person would say; I cringe too) and enjoy the rest of the seemingly endless tale (although I do already have an idea of how this story will end, just getting there is a mountain within itself).

Before I go, here's a little extra on my trio's abilities:

Jay: _The Sight_  
Mirrors off of Erin Hunter's _The Sight_ , more specifically Jaypaw/feather since he's my favorite character within the series  
It allows him to 'see' things and manipulate auras, therefore abilities like Tanizaki's _Light Snow_ don't really hold effect on him

Tuck: _Tuck Everlasting  
_ Based off the novel by Natalie Babbitt (his first name is the male version of Natalie - aka my poor attempt to link the two).  
Immortality, time control, and a little more? Will have to wait to find out more c;

Aria: _Free Will_  
Loosely based off Sam Harris' work (really not so much except for how it deals with fate and choice)  
Can select or reject whatever she wants to touch (if you're a DGM fan, think Tyki); additionally, she is immune to those abilities that forcibly take away her free will

And that's about it, hope you all are doing well and good luck if you're in the depths of finals hell like me  
We got this!


	5. Day One

**Ch.5 - Day One**

 _"Whether you're scared of getting into a relationship; or taking the new job; or a confrontation – you have to size fear up."_

\- Chris Pine

Soft light beckoned behind closed eyelids partially obscured by a couple of errant mahogany strands of hair whose owner grumbled faintly, pushing away from the albeit gentle morning call. Slowly, her senses trickled back. She felt a thin cushion beneath her, not exactly the comfortable type but sufficient enough to place above the hard floor on preferences, and a heavy blanket that encased her in warmth. It would have succeeded in lulling her back to sleep had the sour scent of the room as a whole prevented such.

 _Ugh… What is that? Did something die here overnight?_ Ari's thoughts grumbled out, just as irritated with the awakening as her muscles. What happened? Did they go out drinking last night? She felt a little better than hangover-levels but the stench was quickly working up to that point.

Grudgingly, she opened her eyes, wondering how Jay wasn't making a fuss over it as well, when an unfamiliar, plain ceiling void of any signs of deterioration met her. She frowned. _Has that ceiling always been in such good shape? It must be the only one in this wreck of a place…_

Just as the young woman was ready to accept the thought, a voice called cheerfully from above, accompanied by a head of dark brown locks popping in her sights, "Good morning, Aria-chan!"

It took all of three seconds for Ari's blurred consciousness to keenly focus into a sullen scowl, memories coming back coldly as she swatted the man away angrily, "Go away! Can't I have a moment to wake up without your disgusting face?"

Dazai chuckled, easily dodging her attacks, "What's this? Are you not a morning person, Aria-chan?"

"Not when it means waking up to this stench," she growled, sitting up to glare at him, "Do you ever clean? It smells worse here than the rundown estate we were staying in."

"Well, your stay was a bit short notice so I didn't have the chance to tidy up," he defended lightly as she fought not to yawn and breathe in more of the toxic fumes.

While he held a valid point, the young woman didn't bother keeping the distaste from her expression. Not only had it been a rough day yesterday getting caught and stuck in a gifted agency with no choice but to work off her debt there, but Kunikida's ill-tempered response to everything seeped into every nook and cranny of the following decisions – worst of all being their new quarters. Tuck and Jay lucked out by being able to share a room within Kenji's apartment. Ari, on the other hand, didn't fare as well.

 _Out of all the possible living arrangements, why'd I have to be stuck with this ass?_ _I'd rather sleep outside in that abandoned car._

Indeed, it took exhaustion to pull her to sleep that night as the man kept annoyingly close, giving a flimsy excuse that he had to keep watch over her with absolutely no openings for escape even when she long since gave up on the idea. Well, for the time being that is. Anyways, you can imagine how easy it is falling asleep with a stranger staring holes into the back of your head.

Ari ran a hand through her hair, body feeling heavy. She must've gotten four hours sleep tops. It was going to be an interesting day to say the least. Hopefully when they returned to the office she could pick the farthest corner away from the man if only to alleviate her nerves and relax.

"Are you feeling well, Aria-chan? You look terrible. Did you not sleep last night?" Dazai questioned, leaning closer to the named, whose brow twitched.

"And whose fault do you think that is?" she snapped.

"Well, if you mean how you look then I suppose the only answer would be-"

"Bastard!" she snarled, throwing her pillow at his face and pleasingly connecting. Rising, she grabbed the backpack they recovered last evening and made her way to the adjoining bathroom, muttering, "Of all the people in the world... Why'd I have to get the suicidal manic as a roommate? Ugh."

Right when she was about to close the door, Dazai swiftly shoved his foot in, blocking it and making her scowl, "What is it now? If you have to pee, go outside or hold it. I got here first, so go away," she punctuated by trying to shove him away but only grew more irritated as he stayed stubbornly in place.

"Sorry, but if I do that you may run off," he stated plainly with a smile that screamed more that he didn't trust her rather than a polite request.

Ari glowered, "Stop being difficult, you ass. You didn't seem to have a problem when I changed last night."

"That's because the wall has a small crack in it that let me keep an eye on you," he answered brightly with no ounce of shame whatsoever as Ari deadpanned, recovering swiftly and swinging her bag at his head.

"You damn pervert!"

…

The door to the Armed Detective Agency closed with more tension than usual – not enough to physically harm the frame, but sufficient to catch more than the typical curious glances at the two figures entering, shorter one radiating annoyance and ill will toward her taller more carefree companion. Most of the attention focused on the newer of the two whose messy ponytail mirrored the half tucked blouse and scrunched jacket under her left arm, her sharp teal gaze scaring the majority of onlookers back to their previous business.

"Hey, what took you two so long? You're half an hour late," Jay greeted plainly from where he carried a stack of folders over to a couple of office agents on the edge of the room.

"Ask the perv, he's the one you should be yelling at," Ari grumbled, plopping down in an open chair across from Kunikida and pinching the bridge of her nose. _It's not even ten and I already have a headache. This is gonna be one hell of a day, I can already tell._

Feeling someone's stare, she glanced over to where Atsushi shot her a half-scared half-sympathetic look, blinking and stuttering upon gaining her attention, "G-Good morning, Harris-san." When her stomach grumbled, he put in shakily, "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"It's tragic isn't it, Atsushi-kun?" Dazai sighed dramatically, sitting between them so that his form partially obscured the teen, "I tried offering her some food, but every time she just knocked it away without a thought to how much effort I put in to preparing it."

Ari's brow twitched, and she glared daggers at the man, "What preparation? All you offered were cans of crab meat. Who even eats _canned_ crab? Either way, coming from you I was better off eating from the dumpster."

"Eh?" he responded in mock concern, "But if you eat out of the garbage you may worsen those bags under your eyes."

"Bastard!" she bristled, appearing ready to leap out of the chair and attack the man. Before such could happen, however, a paper bag lowered itself in her view.

Blinking, she raised her gaze to where Tuck smiled warmly down on her, "Here, you can have some food Miyazawa-kun gave me – it's quite good. You shouldn't skip out on breakfast, not when it's your first day on the job."

Ari nodded, murmuring her gratitude as she pulled out a red apple and took a bite from it. Like the man stated, it was better than she expected and seemed to improve her mood if only a little as Dazai leaned over, "Oh? Apples this time, Kenji-kun?"

"Yep," the blonde replied from a little ways off, "I got them from a nice lady I helped the other day."

As she listened to his story, Ari caught movement in the corner of her eyes, noting with irritation that Dazai grabbed the other fruit from within and proceeded to take a bite out of it. Brow twitching she swiped the item before he could do so, "Ass, get your own."

"Eh? But they're a gift from Kenji-kun, wouldn't it be best to share them?" he pouted.

"Please, you just ate like twenty cans of crab, you can't possibly still be hungry," she spat, shoving the apple back into the bag and throwing it toward her companion, "Besides, he gave them to Tuck, not you."

He shot her a sullen look to which she responded with an unyielding one only to have the stare off cut short as Kunikida ordered tersely, "Dazai, quit messing with her and finish your report already." Right as Ari gave a triumphant smirk, he added sternly, "And you, at least try to look like you didn't just roll out of bed. Dazai may be difficult, but that's no excuse for sloppy attire."

"What are you, my mom?" she grumbled between a bite of apple but did as she was told nonetheless, brushing out her red plaid skirt and tucking in the remainder of her blouse.

"No, but for so long as you are here you will be representing the Agency in one way or another, and I won't allow you to bring disgrace to it," he replied sharply as if she'd already heaped mud on its name.

"Sorry," she muttered. _I didn't think an untucked shirt was the equivalent of starting the apocalypse here_ , she added silently.

The blonde breathed through his nose yet said nothing, instead closing his laptop and grabbing some keys and a folder, beckoning to Jay across the room, "Come on, you're with me today."

"Oh? What's the job?" Jay inquired with a tilt of his head while Ari perked up. _That's right. He said we'd be representing the Agency, which means we'll be going on some missions too. Thank goodness, I could use the fresh air – well, city-standard fresh._

"An escort. Simple enough for a newbie," Kunikida responded, earning a huff from the teen.

"Newbie? I hope you're referring to my time here, or you're in for a big surprise," Jay stated haughtily, making the man frown in disapproval.

"I'm sure you'll both do fine," Tuck cut in, smiling down at Jay and instructing, "Be safe, Jay and please try to be nice to Kunikida-kun. He's just making sure you don't overwhelm yourself."

Jay huffed as the blonde nodded thanks toward Tuck and began heading out with the teen in tow who waved passingly, "Well, he doesn't have to worry about that. See you later."

Tuck was still halfway waving as another agent, a young man with dark black hair and loose attire stated, "Alright, let's get moving."

At his higher-than-thou tone, Ari felt a wave of distaste flow through her rivaling the frustration that came from his sloppy look. _How come he didn't get a tongue lashing from Mr. Don't-Disgrace-the-Agency-Name? He looks like he fell out of bed._

"Of course, right behind you Ranpo-kun," Tuck replied without a hint of animosity toward the demeaning tone, waving over at them, "See you later, everyone."

"Good luck on your first job," Atsushi called back kindly.

When the door closed, Ari glanced around expectantly, "So? What's my job? Catching a criminal? Finding a lost artifact? Bodyguard?"

"Nope," Dazai answered, instantly sobering her mood, "We're to stay here on standby until a new job comes along. Isn't it nice, Aria-chan? We get an easy day today."

"Eh?" she said in a mix of disappointment and irritation, noting the sympathetic look Atsushi shot her way while Kenji disappeared down a hallway with a package in his hands, "But Jay and Tuck get to go on missions, why am I stuck here?"

"Well, you _are_ a wanted thief," the bandaged man responded easily, glancing at her from the computer screen and sighing, "Although I suppose if we got here earlier we may have been able to find something."

"Jerk," Ari muttered, crossing her arms after taking a bite out of the apple. Noting Atsushi edging toward the door, she raised a brow, "And where are you off to?"

"Uh, just going to check in on someone, nothing major, I'll see you later, Dazai-san, Harris-san," he quickly replied before bolting out the door. Ari frowned, somewhat annoyed by his skittish nature. _You'd think I was some kind of horrid beast by the way he left._

A sigh left her lips as she rested her chin in her palm.

 _Today's gonna be a long day…_

…

"Where would you like these, Naomi?" Ari called over, holding the last of a stack of papers needing to be filed away for future reference.

"Those can go in the top drawer," Naomi replied, lifting a pile of books to rest on top of the cabinet beside the red-head. When she deposited the papers, the girl added, "Thank you again for your help, Ari-chan."

"No worries," Ari replied, giving a small smile, "Anything to keep the boredom away. Besides, you looked like you needed it."

Naomi laughed, "Well, I can understand that. Now all that's left is some small accounting reports and I can call it a day."

"Lucky you," Ari responded dejectedly, glancing over to the clock that read an hour past noon, "I still have a few more hours." _And even then I won't be able to catch a break…_

About an hour and a half after Atsushi's departure, Ari found herself to the point of insanity – boredom's only respite appearing in the form of Dazai's aggravating conversation and recommendations to read his book on suicide that ended quickly after the newcomer almost tossed it in the shredder. Beyond that, she was ready to make a run for it until Naomi and her brother arrived, graciously providing a much needed release from the man, who somehow was still typing up a report on some previous escape from the town's ruthless underground organization that Naomi explained earlier.

 _"Oh? Have you not heard of them – Port Mafia? I guess it makes sense since you only just arrived in Yokohama," the girl stated in the beginning of their sorting._

 _"Yeah, so what's their story? Typical criminal gang?" she stated, pulling a misfiled report and placing it where it should've gone._

 _"If typical criminal gangs exceed in both politics and economics while holding enough power to kill nearly everyone in this city, then yes. And to top it off barely anything is actually known about its members aside from the few reports that took a lot of lives to get," she answered ominously, making Ari raise a brow._

 _"Well they don't sound too pleasant," Ari commented lightly, "And I assume that influence helps them stay a little bit above the law? Not exactly the first of its kind, but I can see why everyone is wary of them."_

 _"Yeah, and not just because of that," Naomi stated, adding with a shudder, "While their gifted members are strong, even the non-gifted ones can be deadly."_

 _At her subtle reaction, Ari frowned._ Guess she must've experienced that first-handed. Either way, they're just one more reason to leave this place as soon as possible.

 _"Don't worry too much about them, Naomi," Ari reassured, "Organizations like that don't remain in power for very long."_

 _"Oh? That's quite the statement. And what makes you think that an organization that's been around for longer than you've been alive would crumble so easily?" they both blinked and glanced over to where Dazai pinned the red-head with an emotionless gaze despite the small smirk on his face, "Not many who said similar things survived long after saying them."_

 _"Says the one who got caught then escaped said organization," Ari rolled her eyes, "Honestly, if it really is some top notch group, then how come they couldn't even manage to keep one prisoner from breaking out?"_

 _"Maybe they underestimated me," Dazai replied lightly._

 _"Well, if they did I don't blame them. Catching a suicidal manic?" the woman said with a note of sympathy toward the organization, "They probably cracked open champagne when they heard you were gone."_

Ari narrowed her eyes, once more reviewing the conversation in her mind. Something about the way Dazai responded initially threw her off, especially when she compared it to his typical carefree, borderline bored tone that preceded and followed the statement. Not to mention the look in his eyes. For the briefest of seconds, she could've sworn they held the same intent to kill she'd seen from hardened criminals…

"Don't worry, there's still time for another job to come up," the girl reassured, bringing Ari back to the present as she took a seat near one of the room's windows, "As for now, do you want to play a game?"

"Game?" she echoed, resting on the window-cell, "Sure, why not?"

"Good, it's a game we usually play with newcomers and will help you once you go for a mission," Naomi explained, "Basically you guess what everyone's previous occupations were. For instance," she pointed to Kenji's vacant spot, "Kenji-san used to be a cow-herder in Ihatov."

"Nice, I can see that," Ari mused, turning her eyes to where the girl sat, "So I just guess what you were before coming here?"

"Yep, simple as that – although it actually takes some deductive skills, so I guess not too easy," she replied with a smile.

"Good, it'd be boring if it were too easy," Ari smirked, gaze hardening as she studied Naomi's form before replying, "You were a student before joining, right?" she punctuated by gesturing at the girl's outfit, "Your uniform gives it away."

Naomi gave a somewhat self-conscious look, "You have a point there, but good job on guessing right. How about Kunikida-san?"

 _That OCD perfectionist?_ Ari trailed her blue-green eyes over to his seat, mind rolling over the qualities and tendencies she noted upon meeting him. _Authoritative, excessively orderly, writes literally everything down, strong ideals…_

"A professor?" she guessed more so out of his image than her thoughts. _It could work. I mean, despite his short-temper. Although that wouldn't completely disqualify him I suppose._

"Right again," Naomi said with a note of surprise, "You're pretty good at this, how'd you know?"

"Just a hunch, and travelling around the world exposes you to a lot of different people. You tend to learn how to read most of them and pick out trends after a while," Ari answered simply.

"Wow, you've been around the world?" she asked, blue-grey eyes brightening in curiosity alongside some of the other workers nearby.

"Not completely, we still have a good portion of Asia and a little bit of Europe," the red-head replied.

"That's so cool," Naomi marveled, "How long have you been travelling? Did you meet Tuck-san and Jay-kun before, or did you meet up along the way?" When the woman blinked at her rapid questions, she added contritely, "Sorry, it's not every day you meet someone who's been to so many places."

Ari gave a small smile, "Don't worry, it's a pretty common reaction we get. Now let's see," she glanced up, mentally calculating the answers, "We set off right after Jay's tenth birthday, so…about seven years ago."

"Wow, so you've been travelling for a while now, huh?" Naomi stated, "What for, if I may ask? Just to see the world, or…?"

"You're not that far off, actually," Ari explained, smile gaining a note of sadness that the student quickly picked up on, "It's all for Jay – a wish he made the night we set out to see the world."

"Jay-kun?" Naomi frowned, "But isn't he blind?"

"Yeah, it's an odd wish, but it's one of the only major things he's ever really asked of us, so it wasn't like we could say no. Besides," she gazed nostalgically out the window, "getting away from Rothenburg was nice. Sure, we practically grew up there, but small towns like that tend to get a bit confining after a while."

"I see, so you were born in Rothenburg?"

"Nope, that's just where the orphanage I stayed in was," Ari replied simply.

"You're…an orphan?" they both blinked, noting Atsushi's return as he looked at the woman in mild surprise and empathy in his odd eyes.

"Yep, my parents both died when I was still really young – Jay's too," Ari explained easily. It'd been so long that she'd grown used to talking of it, somewhat taking the young teen aback. Adding more softly, "Are you an orphan as well, Atsushi?"

"Y-Yeah," he replied, a note of sorrow and darkness flooding his expression briefly at the memories.

"I take it your orphanage wasn't a winner, huh?" she shot him a sympathetic look as he gave a small smile in confirmation.

"What about you, Harris-san?" he inquired lightly.

"Jay and I were some of the lucky ones I suppose," she answered. "Rothenburg's orphanage wasn't big or fancy, but the people were kind and almost like a second family. I was actually a little sad when Tuck adopted us. Jay too, although he probably won't admit it."

"Eh?" Atsushi blinked as Naomi finished just as confused, "What do you mean? Tuck-san adopted you? Isn't he only a few years older than you?"

"If a few years means over a century, then yes," Ari chuckled, shocking everyone listening.

"A _century_?! How is that even possible?" Atsushi questioned.

"Don't you remember what he said yesterday, Atsushi-kun?" Dazai spoke up, perking Ari's attention that he was actually listening in, "He said his ability makes him immortal, so a centuries old man looking like he's only in his late twenties makes sense in that respect."

"I-I guess it does," the light-haired teen replied in modest embarrassment, "It's just a little hard to believe someone that old said 'Good morning' to me only a few hours ago."

"Yeah, it took us a while to wrap our heads around it too, so don't be embarrassed Atsushi," Ari reassured, giving the young teen a pat on his shoulder, "If you want to hear some stories, though, Tuck's got a lot to share. I'm sure he'd be happy to tell some when he returns."

"That'd be great," Atsushi smiled, "I think Kyoka-chan would enjoy them as well."

"Kyoka?" Ari tilted her head at the new name.

"Oh, yeah, you didn't get to meet her this morning, did you?" Atsushi chagrined, but before he could delve much further into the girl's identity, one of the office workers approached Dazai and handed him an envelope.

After a swift once-over, the man stood and grabbed his tan coat, instructing, "Introductions will have to wait for later, Atsushi-kun."

"That's alright," the teen replied in contrast to the blend of dread and excitement that pulsed through Ari at the direction Dazai was taking as Atsushi finished, "Did you get a job?"

The man smirked, "Yep, and I'll be taking Aria-chan with me this time. Make sure to hold down the fort until we get back, alright?"

"Oh come on, haven't I been stuck with you long enough?" the red-head groaned as he pulled her toward the door with child-like energy.

"Nope, and I'm sure this will be the first of many jobs we do together, so cheer up Aria-chan!" he stated brightly, making her scowl, "This is going to be fun!"

* * *

Behold, a miraculous upload in the midst of finals week. Hopefully I won't come to regret the time I should've spent studying instead but hey, nothing like living life a little on the edge.

Now a little response to reviews:

 _RoRingRing_ : Aww thank you very much! I think its a bit cliche at the moment but will hopefully continue to improve as it goes on c; And will do my best to keep it updated!

 _Reader_ : Thank you! I will say for those who've never read my works I put a ton of detail into some chapters but not for the heck of it (usually it comes back in one way or another). Just always found storytelling with subtle foreshadowing to be insanely interesting. As for romance, not yet but eventually c;

And that's about it. Hope you all have a marvelous weekend!


	6. Seeds of Doubt

**Ch.6 - Seeds of Doubt**

" _Never let the seeds of doubt take root; because once they do they may grow into weeds impossible to remove."  
_ \- Anonymous

"Fun?" Ari grumbled, kicking away a piece of garbage, "And what exactly is fun about standing in an old warehouse that reeks of dead fish?" Scrunching up her nose, she added, "It smells worse than your place."

"The memories, the memories Aria-chan," Dazai answered, not phased in the least by the smell or odd destination of their cab, "Just think, you'll never be able to forget your first mission now."

"Awesome," she muttered, flicking up the phone Kunikida left for her that morning, "If only the same could be said for the guy we're meeting. Are you sure they're coming? It's been almost twenty minutes now."

"They'll come," he responded lightly, holding out the manila folder so she could see the photo of a young blonde girl attached by a paperclip to the outside, "After all, it's a very important task we've been given."

The red-head exhaled deeply. On the ride over he finally allowed her to take a peek at the folder's contents and see what exactly they were doing. Apparently some top notch governor's daughter was born with a heart defect and needed a transplant. Simple enough, right? Not quite, considering said governor had proposed a new law that would directly affect thousands of port officials and traders, and thus, by extension, the city's infamous criminal group: Port Mafia. Understandably, the guy was concerned about intimidation tactics from the group that may delay shipment – thus calling in a sizably paid pair from another gifted organization.

According to the memo, all they had to do was escort somebody holding a bag containing the heart in time to the hospital a few miles away so that it wouldn't go bad in the container and the doctors didn't waste medicine or time in prepping the daughter for surgery. Simple as that…if only the person would arrive.

Ari frowned. Perhaps they'd already been attacked by the mafia?

"Hello?" they perked up as a man hastily arrived, donning a simple white backpack, "Are you the agents assigned to escort me?"

"Yep," Dazai smiled, showing his badge for confirmation, pointing to her as he glanced Ari's way, "This is my partner for the mission. You'll have to excuse her lack of identification, it's her first day. Exciting, right?"

"You let a newbie come on this case?" the man raised a dubious brow, not even trying to hide his unease, "With something this important?"

Ari bristled, but before she could say anything, Dazai intervened, "Don't worry, she may be new but she's definitely cut for the job. We'll get you there safely."

"Right…" he trailed off, not sounding fully convinced, "So, as for the path we'll take, do you have any-"

Suddenly, a glint of light caught Ari's eyes and it took all of a few seconds for her to conclude its source and act, roughly pulling the man leftwards and yelling, "Get down!" Mere moments after doing so, a loud bang echoed through the area, and while she anticipated the kill shot, she grimaced upon his outcry as the projectile sliced through his leg instead.

"P-Port Mafia, already?!" the man exclaimed as she pulled his arm over her shoulder and swiftly moved out of range with Dazai close behind, offering some cover with a gun of his own.

"They must have tracked you here," the bandaged man stated plainly, ducking back to observe his injured leg, "Will you be able to make it?"

The man grimaced, "Yeah, of course I-"

He cut off as Ari touched the area, causing him to yell out in pain as she said sourly, "Don't kid yourself, you'll be lucky if you make it out of the building."

"B-But the package… If it's not delivered in time…" he trailed off, sweat dripping down his face as he fought to compose himself, stopping as Dazai pushed him back down.

"Don't worry, we can take it from here," he reassured, "Aria-chan, do you know first aid?"

"Of course," she replied. Not needing another word, she took the man's jacket to make a tourniquet with which to tie his leg.

In the process, the man tensed, catching onto what they were intending to do, "W-Wait a moment! You're not seriously going to leave me here, are you? They'll kill me!"

"You'll be fine, so long as you don't do anything stupid," Dazai said straightforwardly, "Their target is the heart, not the man delivering it. If that were the case, they'd have aimed higher."

The man gulped, face pale from both the thought and blood loss as Ari shifted up, "Alright that should do until the paramedics get here." Turning, she reached for the bag in Dazai's hand, stating as he raised a questioning brow, "I'm a smaller target and they can't even touch me if I use my ability; it'd be best if I carry it. Besides, you'll be too busy covering for me with a gun I highly doubt you trust me enough to wield."

Noting the injured man's suspicious look, she growled, "I can make that tighter if you don't wipe that stupid look from your face. Don't forget that the newbie saved your ass just a few seconds ago, either."

He blinked and turned away, face a little red in embarrassment, while Dazai sighed and handed over the bag, "Be careful not to drop it, and stay close."

"Right," Ari nodded, standing hunched over beside him as they spotted a grate a ways off.

Pulling her gaze upwards, she noted their attackers slowly creep closer – a man with light brown hair and a seemingly injured nose at the lead. His golden eyes were like flint stones despite a manic smile on his face that made her scowl in disgust. _He's enjoying this…_

"We have to lure them away. Even if they weren't ordered to kill that man, they may do so in order to get information out of him," Dazai murmured, leading her to the edge of one of the shipping containers in the warehouse. Glancing around the edge, his voice bore no humor as he instructed, "Stay close, and when I give the signal to run, go. Stay low and don't look back, I'll be right behind you."

"Quit talking like I'm some kid," Ari hissed, "This isn't the first gun fight I've been in." He shot her a somewhat surprised look but she ignored it, "Just give the signal already. They'll be on us in a couple of seconds."

She thought she saw a flash of amusement in his face, nearly leading her to snap at him to get serious but he swiftly spun around the corner of the container, holding out his gun and ordering tersely, "Now!"

Not wasting a moment, Ari bolted out – sights set on the grate in the floor. Her heart pounded. Even if she told the truth earlier about her exposure to dangerous scenarios like the present, something about this one sent her adrenaline rushing. What was it? Perhaps that this was her first mission with the group? Or that the failure of the task held very real implications above the simple meal that night? Either way, a small smile formed on her face.

 _Guess I can't really blame them any longer…_

Dodging bullets flying her way, she quickly lifted the grate; struggling a bit under its weight until Dazai swiftly appeared by her side and helped her lift it the rest of the way. Once removed, he ordered, "Go, I'll be right behind you."

Giving a slight nod, she jumped into the darkness, letting her ability soften the larger than expected landing in pitch darkness after the man above covered the area and descended. On the surface, she could hear gun shots still firing closely followed by muffled footsteps. Not a word was spoken between the two as Dazai swiftly climbed down, turning on a flashlight and motioning her rightwards while signaling to remain quiet with a finger pressed to his lips.

A speck of doubt raced through her. _How does he know which way to go? It won't take those mafia goons long to discover where we went._ Indeed, a dead end could prove fatal to their task. Even then Dazai moved on with confidence in his step, a silent 'I know where we're going' clear in the action. And while Ari frowned at why he held such information readily available, she followed him nonetheless.

 _Not like I have much of a choice in the matter._

With their seemingly random turns and endless walk in the dark, seconds turned to minutes and minutes dragged into eternity – or at least long enough for Ari to speak up quietly, "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"Of course," Dazai replied softly, turning slightly to show her a map she failed to realize, "See? If we continue along this passage, we'll reach the intersection right in front of the hospital."

Ari raised a brow, "You really planned it out that far?"

"Well, the chances of the mafia following the man were pretty high. In all honesty, I was a bit surprised he made it so far as to meet us," he explained, "Aside from that, it's always good to have a back-up plan should things go off-schedule, and it's a detective's job to predict these things, right?"

"Right…" she murmured. _Still, it's a bit creepy how accurate his prediction was. Almost as if he orchestrated every moment…._

Noting her expression, Dazai questioned, "What is it Aria-chan? Do you want me to explain how I predicted this scenario? It's actually quite simple, you see…"

"Save your breath," she cut in irritably, "If it's between hearing you gloat on about some insane tactic or silence, I'll take silence."

The man pouted, seemingly hurt, yet the expression turned to mild interest as she continued almost hesitantly, "It is odd, though. Why didn't the mafia just kill that guy? Last I checked they weren't exactly above such actions."

"Simple," he pointed out, holding up a hand in punctuation, "There objective was to damage the heart, or at least delay its delivery. Killing that man may have worked if we weren't already there, but the moment they recognized our presence they had to switch tactics and go for the best route: aiming for the organ itself. Sure, it may not kill the deliverer, but it would successfully end our mission."

Smiling at her expression, he concluded, "So you're not wrong in judging Port Mafia's cruelty, Aria-chan, just a bit off in what motivates them."

The woman huffed, turning to look ahead where the faintest of lights from above could be seen. As Dazai commented that their destination wasn't far now, she found her thoughts taking over her consciousness. _What motivates the mafia, huh?_ Narrowing her eyes, she recalled the leader's cold, golden gaze and shivered. Something about it struck eerily familiar to her, rubbing uncomfortably like a predator ready to pounce upon her noticing it lurked far closer than she realized.

Shaking the feeling away, she shifted the backpack carefully to a more comfortable position and said on a lighter note, "Well, at least now we don't have to worry about the mafia following. Even if they managed to get here, it'd take time to find us – long enough to complete this mission."

"Don't be so sure, that was Michizou Tachihara, a commander of Port Mafia's Black Lizard Squad. His allies are sure to be close by," Dazai stated ominously despite the carefree, borderline bored glint in his eyes.

"You know, for an organization whose members and ways are supposed to be all dark and mysterious, you seem to know an awful lot about them," Ari observed with a frown, narrowing her eyes. A chilling thought occurred to her at that moment: _His look from when we first met, and even earlier this morning… That's why that man's expression felt familiar – it was almost identical to his._

"What's this? Did you think that I wouldn't read up on such an infamous organization in my line of work?" he asked in mock offense, "You wound me, Aria-chan."

The woman raised a doubtful brow, "You actually read all those articles on Port Mafia?"

"Of course. I am the model of what the perfect agent should be like, after all."

"No, you're the model of what agents should _avoid_ becoming," she corrected, "I doubt you even read those articles – more like had Kunikida summarize them for you. Yeah, that sounds much more like the guy who took two days to type up a simple report."

 _Still…_ She leveled a look akin to someone at last coming to a solution to some difficult enigma only to find it wasn't as lighthearted as they expected it to be. _The detail he uses in addressing them borders_ familiarity _. Even if he really did read all of that about Port Mafia, it doesn't account for that look in his eyes…._

"This should be our stop," Dazai announced, placing a foot on one of the rungs and looking up into the oddly steady light above, "I've had traffic diverted, so we don't have to worry about any cars running us over. Makes the last stretch a bit easier, wouldn't you say Aria-chan?"

 _No._ The named stopped; aqua eyes hardening as she stared at the man. _That look only comes from experience._

When he shot a semi-confused look her way, she finally spoke up, "You know, I never actually got around to guessing your previous profession in that game."

"I suppose not," he replied casually despite the tense atmosphere steadily growing around them, "You'll have to try when we get back – it's one of the highlights of the game, actually."

"You're a complicated one," she continued, ignoring his faint efforts in deterring the line of conversation, "At first I didn't know what to make of a suicidal manic like you, but I think I'm beginning to see that it's all just a show put on to distract from who you truly are – or truly _were_."

"Oh?" he commented nonchalantly. In contrast, his eyes gained a hint of calculated, near malicious intent, "And what exactly do you think I'm trying to cover up, Aria-chan?"

The woman remained silent, form tensing the smallest amount. _If I'm correct, then this mission just got a hell of a lot more complicated…_ Glancing out of the corner of her eye to the grate above, she frowned. _It'll be a test to see which one of us is faster, which he unfortunately holds familiarity and a head start advantage…._

 _However…_ She took a steadying breath, preparing herself for the scenario blaring in her mind. _It won't end like last time. Not in the least._

Leveling an even glare at the agent, she spoke up with clarity and conviction, "I thought I felt something off about you when we first met. To be honest, I brushed it off as a miscalculation, but now it seems the only err was in doing just that."

"That's understandable, you are human after all. Humans make mistakes," he acknowledged with a smile, "Although, do you think we should be going? This is a time sensitive mission."

"Yes, but we've arrived a full hour early and those Port Mafia guns aren't around yet," she rebutted with a touch of anger, lips curving in a small smirk at his subtle shift, "What? Does that disappoint you? Are you upset that they weren't as formidable as you expected? Or maybe that you can't squirm out of this conversation like you've probably done before?"

Dazai's smile faded like hers as she concluded icily, "After all, what would the Agency think about a former Port Mafia member standing amongst their upper ranks? Nothing good, if you ask me."

* * *

Cliche moments are cliche but in all honesty it surprised me in the series just how much Dazai gave away in terms of his time with Port Mafia (especially in Ranpo's episode). I suppose it could've been brushed off as him reading up on the organization, but even then. Anyways, forgive the beaten to death 'Guessing Game epiphany' (although in this case Ari has no idea about the reward or else she'd probably cash in immediately). I was going to include Tuck and Jay, but figured it'd be a little too much (if you were wondering Jay would get a majority of them right thanks to his ability while Tuck would get most of them wrong by guessing farfetched, ideal positions).

Hope you enjoyed the chapter and little cliffhanger  
Until next time~


	7. A Matter of Heart

**Ch. 7 - A Matter of Heart**

" _The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart."  
\- _Helen Keller

The steady drip of water echoing through the vacant tunnels seemed to intensify the tension caught between the two figures – shorter glaring in a semi-defensive stance like an animal waiting for the slightest of movements to bolt from the taller whose expression was veiled by the dim light. Seconds ticked by painfully slow as neither made a move, and Ari felt as if breathing itself would cause everything to suddenly explode. Her mind rapidly worked to find at least a few scenarios she could take to make it out alive and save the girl. Even if she could theoretically just walk away, she vowed that once she accepted a job she'd see it through to the very end, and this, despite the unexpected turn, was no exception.

 _Still…_ she narrowed her eyes, _who'd have suspected this idiot of all people to be a part of the mafia? Makes you question how thorough those guys from the Agency are in their recruitment – although I guess they did accept someone they just arrested not even an hour earlier. But that doesn't really matter now. The question is: will he try and stop me? Is he really part of the Agency? Or do his loyalties remain with the mafia?_

Laughter cut through the silence and her thoughts like a deadly knife, raising her nerves impossibly higher as Dazai bent over, hanging onto the ladder with one arm while its companion partially shielded his face as he spoke between laughs, "That's quite an answer, Aria-chan. Very unexpected, if I may say."

"Don't try to deny it," she accused, "Your act was good, but your eyes hold too much similarity with that other guy's – not to mention every time Port Mafia comes up its like your personality flips. Hell, even the air around you feels warped."

 _Just like that man from the street a few days ago…_ she added silently. Maybe he also was a Port Mafia member? Could the city possibly be that small of a community?

"Don't worry, I won't lie about something like that," he chuckled, wiping away a few tears from the corners of his eyes before opening them to gaze at her with a spec more interest and amusement than earlier, "So, what next, Aria-chan? Turn me over to the authorities? Tell everyone at the Agency? Or…" a dark expression passed over his features, "perhaps even blackmail?"

Ari scowled. _At least his reaction shows that he's not going to stop me, so he's leaning more toward the Agency. Still, if he thinks I'm keeping quiet, he's got another thing coming. The farther away he is from me, the easier it'll be to get out of this hellhole – even if it means dragging Jay and Tuck out._

"That's not important. Right now there's a girl waiting for a new heart. We can leave this talk for later," she growled.

"You're not as cold as you try to appear after all," he commented casually, beginning up once again with Ari a few paces behind, "Prioritizing a helpless girl over your own desires to see me imprisoned or worse… It's very noble of you, Aria-chan."

"Don't kid yourself, we'll pick this up right after this job is finished," she replied sourly, "And if you even _think_ about hurting Jay or Tuck in some manic attempt to keep me quiet, I'll see to it personally that your wish to die comes slowly."

"How very considerate of you, Aria-chan!" he looked down at her with the upmost sincerity as if she'd just agreed to make him the happiest man alive, "I really did misjudge you earlier!"

"Shut up and keep climbing," she retorted, swatting his leg in irritation as he merely laughed and continued the rest of the way, opening the grate and disappearing into the light before her.

Once she reached the top and pulled herself to the surface, Ari brushed off her clothes, nose wrinkling a bit at their additional aroma of stale, rotten cheese to the pre-existing stink from the warehouse and Dazai's mess of an apartment. _Jeez, there goes another good outfit. Hopefully the Agency has some miracle stink removing detergent._

Examining her surroundings, she found them standing in an empty street – road oddly void of the typical bustle of people. Indeed... She narrowed her eyes, form tensing beside Dazai who gave the area a similar dissatisfied rating. _It's too quiet here. Even if he managed to section off the road, there should still be people – so where are they?_ She narrowed her eyes. _This is sketch._

"Come on," she spoke in a voice slightly above a whisper, "We should get to the hospital."

Taking the lead, she cut through a short alleyway whose other side revealed the tall white building. Her instincts were on high alert, eyes darting left and right while her heart pounded, memories of what he said running through her mind. _If that suicidal jerk is right, then there must be some Port Mafia members nearby. Where are they? Surely the won't let us make it inside, right?_

Despite her suspicions, she made it through the narrow passageway without difficultly. Indeed, everything went so smoothly she began to think Dazai overestimated the group and miscalculated – going so far as to relax if only a bit.

She quickly learned that the only one of the two making a mistake was her as a flash of light caught her eyes seconds after she exited the alley. Hidden in the shadows, a figure pounced, deadly blade screaming toward her throat. A gasp tore from her, but before she could do anything, a hand snatched her back so that the sword's only victim was a few strands of her mahogany hair.

Ari's eyes widened briefly before sharpening at the newcomer: a thin figure cloaked in typical mafia-black attire whose face was largely obscured by a gray seemingly plated mask and a few strands of obsidian hair that failed to remain in a wind-teased bun. Unlike the seemingly identical goons, this person stood out and her instincts screamed warning signs. Whoever it was, they were good enough to nearly kill her before she had the chance to pinpoint or even register the danger.

Nevertheless, she was denied the chance to learn more from the silent assassin as Dazai murmured in her ear, "Don't. Leave this to me, and go fulfill the mission."

"Oh?" she raised a brow, "Are you sure that's a good idea? I've been trying to ditch you from the moment we met. What makes you think I'll actually stick around after?"

"Simple," he answered easily, "You won't leave without Jay-kun or Tuck, will you? Besides," he started forward so that he now stood between her and the assassin, "you stated pretty clearly how much saving this official's daughter means to you. That alone suggests the likelihood of you remaining until I'm finished to be very high."

"Ass," Ari muttered, brow twitching in annoyance with how accurate the prediction was. A feeling of rebelling just to spite him bubbled up within her but she forced it down, instead positioning herself to sprint across the final empty road between them and the hospital. "Don't cry if it all blows up in your face," she grumbled, tightening the straps on the backpack and taking a breath, "Here goes nothing."

He smirked and pulled out his weapon, aiming it at the mafioso, "Ready when you are, Aria-chan."

Giving the faintest of nods, Ari dug her heels into the ground and sprinted past the assassin, noting in the corner of her eyes how the figure swiftly pulled back from pursuing to dodge Dazai's covering shot. With the additional time and cover, the red-haired woman focused solely on the doors of the establishment, letting all else fade in her peripheral. While annoying and potentially a threat to her and those she loved, she allowed herself to trust Dazai would stay true to his words even if it felt forced upon her.

More gun shots rang through the area, some ricocheting off the pavement inches away from where she stood moments earlier. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she noted more black-clad figures appear from other outlets connecting to the road. Nevertheless, they were soon pushed back by well-aimed shots at their feet from the agent behind her – impressing the woman if only a little by his ability to control a hectic field like this.

When she crossed the boundary into the hospital, she wasted no time. Indeed, her pace only quickened as she threw open the stairwell door and darted up the steps, counting under her breath until reaching the fifth floor where the patient was said to dwell. Right as she stepped through the doorway, though, something shot through her mind, propelling her instincts into hitting the breaks just in time to dodge a fury of bullets that slammed into the wall, sending up bits of tile that scratched at her cheek.

Swiftly, she ducked back into the doorway, casting a tentative glance where two more mafia members and an elderly man stood in the connecting hallway, latter addressing in a formal manner, "Young Miss, if you'd kindly hand over the bag it would make this whole situation far easier on both of us."

Ari remained quiet, mind deciding that forming a strategy to bypass the trio claimed more importance than responding to the ridiculous request. _There's too many of them in this cramped hallway to just run by; I'll have to go about this another way…_

A small smirk lit her face as the answer came even when the elderly man sighed like a disappointed parent, "I wanted to avoid any more violence than necessary, but you leave me no choice," finishing emotionlessly, he ordered, "Kill her."

Rushed footsteps rapidly approached, but before they could reach the doorway, Ari stepped out – right in the path of their deadly fire. However, that's not what caused the older man's sharp heather gaze to widen in surprise.

Defying all logic the man believed in, the red-head ran unhindered and unharmed among the flurry of deadly projectiles aimed her way. It was simply impossible – a feat not even the most seasoned, skilled warriors could hope to achieve. Yet she passed through effortlessly, almost as if she were dancing between the bullets. Dancing? No. She was going straight _through_ them.

Not wasting a moment, Ari activated her ability, rejecting the numerous shots aimed at her and rushing at the two men without the slightest fear or hesitation. With surgical precision, she swiped at their weapons, carefully selecting enough of the guns to touch and cut through with her bare hand so that when she completed the arc they were reduced to mere fragments of their former selves. The mafia members let out shocked cries, unable to do a thing as she spun around and round kicked them with sufficient force that sent them crashing into the walls and slumping down in a daze.

 _That's two down, only one to g-_

Ari's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as an I.V. holder whooshed past her as if it were driving 100 miles an hour down the road. Turning a pair of wary and semi-startled eyes leftwards, she glared at the man. _An ability user? Awesome. As if things weren't complicated enough. This might take more time than I have left_ … She scowled, glancing at her phone to find the timer nearing twenty minutes. How was it possible all that time had vanished? Last she checked they had at least an hour. Did her phone's clock malfunction?

"I see you aren't just a helpless delivery girl, are you Young Miss?" he addressed with more respect than earlier, his eyes scanning over his fallen comrades, "You did quite a number on my subordinates. Impressive, if I may say so myself. However," his aura suddenly grew much more menacing, "I won't be so easy to fell."

Ari huffed, facing him fully, "We'll see about that, grandpa."

A look of offense at her crass words crossed his face seconds before it returned to a stoic expression as she bolted toward him, his instincts driving forward a fierce blow which the red-head easily passed through – Ari observing with a frown how it completely crushed the bed behind her. _Is he simply strengthening his blows? Not likely…_ she rejected the thought, peering closer to the bent metal frame. _It's almost as if he put it under high pressure. Perhaps that's his ability?_

Nevertheless, she swiftly spun, aiming a kick at his head only for the elder to dodge with speed beyond his age. Ari scowled, not fully expecting the tactic to work yet more wary now that she began to measure his potential in battle. _This old man isn't so frail after all, huh?_

Her eyes widened as he suddenly turned and swung at her, the red-head's reaction just seconds too late as his gloved fingertips brushed her arm. Instantly it felt as if the area had been trampled on by a horse, and a sharp gasp of pain left Ari's throat as she jumped back a few paces, cradling the appendage. When she grit her teeth and examined it, a bruise was already beginning to blossom, marring her light olive skin with notes of black, violet, and blue.

"If you wish to avoid further damage, I suggest you cease this pointless fight," the man instructed sternly, "No matter how much you dodge, the moment you touch me the same and worse will happen. To put it simply: you cannot win."

Ari's brow twitched. _Are all Port Mafia members this arrogant?_ Regardless, he held a fine point. She couldn't harm him without bringing harm to herself. It seemed as if this fight transformed into who would last longer rather than mere skill, and, unfortunately for the woman, she didn't have the luxury to wait around.

 _"They don't have to kill the deliverer – just stall long enough that the heart goes bad. And when that happens, we fail our mission."_ Dazai's words from earlier echoed in her mind.

A faint smirk lit her lips. _If that's the case, then I'll just have to stall_ him _._

Not wasting a second, she once more darted at the man, who sighed as if he were a teacher trying to impart a lesson on a stubborn student. Be that as it may, the expression soon changed into astonishment as Ari reached out and grabbed not his arm but his coat. Tugging with all her might, she forced the elder against the wall while she simply passed through it, letting go of the outerwear and jumping back into the hallway.

With a mocking two-fingered salute, she ran down the hall, "See you later, grandpa."

The man started forward only to be jerked to a halt, shooting a stunned and semi-annoyed glare behind to find a good portion of his coat and upper part of his long scarf were embedded in the concrete wall – virtually tying him down to the spot long enough for her to escape. He leveled an angered glare at her to which she merely smirked and disappeared down an adjoining hall.

With the threat all but gone, Ari focused on completing the mission. Unfortunately, the battle took more out of her than she thought, and her throat began to burn. Nevertheless, she dug her heels in a sprinted down endless, seemingly identical passageways before skidding to a stop in front of a pair of double doors marked: Operation Room.

A trio of doctors shot her surprised looks, but before they could say a thing she tore off the backpack with as much care as she could despite the urgency and stated, "Here – it's the heart for the government guy's daughter! Take it!"

"R-Right," the lead doctor nodded, accepting the package and swiftly disappearing behind the doors with his companions at his heels, one calling back, "Thank you!"

With the objective at last complete, Ari found her legs fold beneath her. She slumped to the cold, sterile floor as she took in lung-fulls of air, not realizing until that moment how little she breathed through it all. Her heart pounded, and she closed her eyes in efforts to focus on merely taking in the sweet air as if she were an Olympic marathoner only to open them as a hand rested on top of her head.

Peering up, she was met with Dazai's calm smile, "Good job, Aria-chan. You completed your first mission."

While relief flooded through her, the numerous loose ends of the particular assignment wrapped around her, sobering the emotion. In between breaths, she spoke tersely, "Port Mafia?"

"Gone," the man answered simply, "We've delivered the heart safely. If they try to make a move now, they risk killing the girl and losing their leverage, although I'm sure they have much more on that government official. Either way, they won't be making any more attacks today."

Ari gave one last exhale, lowering her head in rest. Among all the unresolved portions of that day, she found some solace in the fact that at the very least they'd helped save a young innocent girl. While not covering over the other issues, it was sufficient enough for that moment along with the fact that she was one step closer to paying off her debt and leaving the tainted city behind once and for all.

…

A ticking melody played alone in the plain waiting room, a few huddled figures each too engrossed within their own individual worries to notice the other apart from exchanging a sympathetic smile on the occasion that their numbers were added to, or a hopeful supporting gleam in their eyes should their numbers decrease. Sitting quietly with her hands folded in a spot near the edge of the room, Ari finally released the doors from her relentless gaze that intensified only twenty minutes ago as their client, after handing over an envelope containing their pay, disappeared behind them. Even though their mission technically ended at that point, she insisted upon staying and seeing it fully through.

Beside her, Dazai read from his book, a nonchalant smile almost taboo in the area yet not commented on as each was either too concerned with their own matters or believed it a coping mechanism. His companion, while knowing a much more accurate explanation, didn't move to stop him either, remaining quiet in her thoughts until reaching a satisfying conclusion.

"I'm not going to tell everyone about your past," she spoke up, easily gathering his attention as he lowered the book and raised his brows at her.

"Oh? How kind of you, Aria-chan," he praised with a smile.

Noting the expression, Ari's eyes narrowed. _There's that annoying look again – as if he's merely putting on a show. Even from this close, I can't feel any trace of genuine gratitude from him._

She let the thought fade, huffing, "Don't get your hopes up. I'm merely taking your suggestion earlier. So long as you follow some basic ground rules and other specifics, I'll keep my mouth shut. Get it?"

"Blackmail, huh?" Dazai chuckled, "Well, I guess I have no choice but to accept to your conditions. Please go easy on me, Aria-chan."

The woman scowled, feeling almost as if he was enjoying the situation that typically left its victims squirming in anxiety, "Ugh, what's with you? You sound like you're about to go on a once in a lifetime trip."

"Is that so?" he tilted his head, rusty eyes gleaming in amusement.

Taking it as a tease, Ari's brow twitched and she huffed, turning away from him and saying, "Whatever. So long as I have this hold, I could care less what you think of this. Which reminds me," she glared at him out of the corner of her eyes, "First thing's first, you're going to clean out that mess of an apartment, and I'm sleeping in a different room – one that _doesn't_ have a peep hole in the wall, ceiling, floor, door, or whatever other place you might have one."

"Aw, I thought we bonded sleeping in the same room," Dazai pouted although a note of humor lit his gaze, making Ari scowl, "As if. At least this way I can finally sleep in peace without worrying about the resident perv watching me the entire time."

"But it was an act of affection, Aria-chan. I was making sure you weren't disturbed," he defended lightly.

"The only thing disturbing me was you, idiot!" she snapped, ready to strangle the man when two figures stepped through the door, coming to a stop before the odd pair who looked up from their conversation. Upon closer look, Ari recognized one from earlier: the same doctor who'd thanked her before running off to perform the operation.

He gave a small, almost timid smile, "She's awake now, if you'd like to see her."

Ari's eyes widened and she quickly rose, letting the young doctor lead the way while Dazai followed at a relaxed pace, folding his hands behind his head and whistling some strange tune that hung in the back of the woman's mind until the cab ride back. Nevertheless, after a little maneuvering through the halls, they came upon a room housing a young girl with honey blonde hair conversing with their client, both of which glancing over at the newcomers.

Feeling she needed to begin the conversation, Ari spoke up, "Hello, you may not know this but we're-"

"You must be those goons Daddy hired to get my heart," the pair blinked at the sour note contrasting with the girl's sweet appearance.

Ari blinked, not expecting such a tone, "Y-Yeah, you're wel-"

"What took you so long?" the girl snapped, glaring at them as if they were the reason why she needed another heart in the first place, "I had to wait two _hours_ in this dump of a place just because you lazy idiots took your sweet time. Couldn't you understand that my life was on the line? Apparently not. I'm surprised you even knew where to go."

Her demeaning tone made Ari's brow twitch, annoyance rising even more as the girl's father expressed his own feelings of disappointment at the efforts of an agency he'd heard such good things about, completely siding with his daughter's dramatic story. The red-head couldn't believe her eyes or ears – disbelief so potent that she let Dazai pull her away and lead them out of the hospital and into the first cab that responded to his hail. Through it all, she couldn't believe how much her expectations of the girl were turned on their heads.

 _So much for a sweetheart. Almost makes me regret stopping the mafia in the first place. And to think that guy was willing to go so far to save her. He must've been paid as well given that attitude…._ She sullenly thought while looking out the window, mood not improving as Dazai sighed dramatically.

"See? This is why I said we should leave as soon as the job's over. At least then you could've kept some of your feelings of accomplishment intact," he stated as if knowing the girl's true colors from the start.

"Just because she's not an angel doesn't mean I regret saving her," Ari muttered, resting her chin on her palm, "Please, I'm not _that_ petty, or slow for that matter. I could care less about that ungrateful brat."

Dazai smirked, a small puff of entertainment coming from his nose as he observed just how bothered she was about the reality. Turning to look out the other side, he murmured, "You should be proud, Aria-chan. Kindness is a rare thing in this line of work – foolish, yet somewhat admirable at the same time."

The woman shot an irked glare out of the corner of her eyes, not knowing whether to feel complimented or insulted by the remark as Dazai's lips curved slightly, making the emotion fade within her as she noted for the first time a genuine speck of regard toward her. Indeed, she was so stunned by it that she let the quiet surround them for the rest of the journey.

Or at least until he began making crude remarks about which bridges he preferred to jump off of.

…

At long last, the two returned to the Agency, finding near all its occupants having retired for the night as a faint orange-red glow of late twilight filtered in through the blinds. However, those that remained turned and greeted them brightly, Tuck coming up and embracing the woman, "You're back! How was your first job? I bet it wasn't as exciting as the case Ranpo-kun solved. You should have seen it! He deduced everything in under a minute!"

"Oh?" Ari raised an impressed brow, allowing the man to lead her where Ranpo, Atsushi, Jay, and Kenji stood exchanging their own adventures of the day while Dazai joined Kunikida and Fukuzawa a little ways off.

Upon his approach, the leader of the organization spoke up, "How did she fare?"

Dazai smiled, glancing over to where Ari's mouth hung open in mild jealousy of the jobs assigned to her family members – her own story sparking outbursts of shock and surprise nonetheless. In the slightest of amounts, his red-brown eyes narrowed calculatingly at the woman, yet retained a note of amusement.

"She's very interesting – all three of them are for that matter," he answered truthfully, "As for Aria-chan specifically, while her actions are still questionable to the point we shouldn't let her out of sight, her motives and heart are stunningly pure. Almost surprised me, given that they're coming from a master thief that is."

Fukuzawa quirked a brow, following Kunikida's and the bandage man's attention directed at the red-haired woman as Dazai concluded, "All in all, I believe if we can get her to trust us as much as she does her family, Aria-chan will prove an invaluable ally – unafraid to do anything for the sake of the Agency and maybe even Yokohama as a whole."

* * *

A little late update, but managed considering I almost forgot until I looked at the calendar and saw it was Saturday and realized I'd yet to upload anything. My bad! Hopefully the rushed chapter isn't too terrible for you all.

 _badlydrawnellen:_ Aww thank you so much, it means a lot Sorry for the cliffhanger but I do love leaving loose ends, so can't say this will be the last. But thank you! I loved creating Ari, Jay, and Tuck, and am glad you enjoy them c:  
Hmmm, Dazai and Ari, huh? I wonder. Well if it does happen I am sorry to say it won't be clear for a while longer - not until Ari manages to trust him enough that is. Honestly it's a complicated thing, seeing as both have their own demons holding them back. But who knows? Maybe they just might beat them c;

Anyways, hope you all enjoy the longerish chapter and have a wonderful Mother's Day!


	8. Guilty Until Proven Innocent

**Ch.8 - Guilty Until Proven Innocent**

" _Believe in yourself. If you don't, then no one else will have a reason to."  
-_John Di Lemme

Countless numbers and streams of information reflected across four pairs of eyes all huddled around a single laptop. The first gazed in sheer wonder, focusing more on the technology itself than the confusing information that went beyond his knowledge yet, if explained in another way, he'd have instantly understood. As for the second and third, former being the one operating said laptop, they studied the values before them as if they held the secret to eternal happiness – an excited anticipation like kids awaiting Disneyland in their eyes. As for the fourth, he merely stared blankly at the screen if only to keep up with appearances until time dragged on too long and no one had yet to say anything.

"Well, is anyone going to explain to the blind kid what's going on?" Jay snapped irritably, glaring at the computer screen that simply appeared like a colored in shape to his senses.

"Sorry, Jay," Ari responded, inputting the last bits of information regarding their pay from the previous day.

Upon Kunikida's suggestion, she'd created a chart outlining how much each member of the trio gained per job and the leftover of their debt, which the blond inputted himself along with the other formulas after she struggled to complete more out of weariness than stupidity. Despite managing to gain her own room and ridding Dazai's place of its former stench, she still hadn't grown accustomed to sleeping without Tuck and Jay nearby. Sure, they were only a few doors down, but it felt like miles to her, and she wasn't alone as both males sported similar signs of lack of sleep.

Nevertheless, Kunikida's work on the chart gathered the interests of multiple members of the organization; Atsushi and Kenji one of the few left with no other current responsibilities when the part-time teacher finally completed it and snapped for everyone to get back to schedule. From there, using the estimates he made, Ari input the final critical pieces of information and clicked enter, triggering a series of calculations unseen by the four – three of which leaning closer as it worked.

A soft ding sounded in the air, alerting the completion alongside a text box, Ari swiveling the cursor over while saying, "Alright, just one more second and…"

She trailed off, smile growing lopsided at the conclusion. Beside her, Kenji stared in wonder at how the machine accomplished such while Atsushi shot a semi-wary semi-sympathetic look her way, "H-Harris-san?"

"How terrible! Who'd have ever thought this could happen? A tragedy indeed," Jay exclaimed dramatically, sarcasm dripping from his tone as he snapped, "Just spit it out already, Ari!"

"O-One percent?! What the hell?!" Ari yelled angrily, glaring at the computer as if it were the most damnable criminal in the world, "This stupid thing must have glitched."

"I'd prefer it if you'd express your disappointment in a less extreme manner, especially one that doesn't instantly bring shame upon the Agency," Kunikida scolded across the table, shooting her a displeased look, "And there's nothing wrong with the program. You simply overestimated your contribution after the necessary expenses of rent and daily necessities were removed from your checks, and the ease at which your debt would be repaid."

"I don't want to hear that from the one who consistently loses his temper on a daily basis," Ari muttered while Jay finally got the information he sought from Kenji, staring at the screen with a slightly sickened expression.

"Jeez Ari, did you have to steal so much? We didn't have to fly first class," Jay frowned at the woman, who scowled in response.

"Lay off," she grumbled, turning her glare to the screen as if it were responsible and scrolling to find the detailed list Kunikida complied, "I know those people were loaded, but I wouldn't have risked causing this big of a scene."

"A bit too late for that," the blind teen muttered, giving a pained grunt as she smacked him on the head.

"What did you expect – that it would be child's play to pay off a debt over one million yen?" Kunikida inquired sourly, making Ari frown in mix annoyance and the fact that she indeed thought exactly that, especially with Jay and Tuck helping out.

 _With all three of us working together, I expected us to be done by the end of next week tops. Apparently that's not going to happen though._

The blonde sighed, "Quit sulking. This is your _punishment_ , remember? And you as well, brat," he growled at Jay, whose glower at Ari sobered a bit to glance at the man, "You and Tuck agreed to share the burden, so if you feel frustrated then you have more than just your sister to blame."

"Yeah, like the simply sunny attitude our jail guard has," Jay rolled his eyes, making the blonde glare at him and begin a tirade that settled into the background noise as Ari focused on locating the list through Kunikida's excessive use of folders.

 _Jeez, it's not like this is some top security file. I bet he's used up more data sorting these things so precisely than the actual file sizes themselves. Although, should I really be surprised given how OCD he is?_ She glanced up, expression losing amusement upon their childish squabble. _Makes you wonder how exactly he functions as a teacher, not to mention landing a job here._

She sighed as Kunikida, after defending that he wasn't depressing but realistic bordering on optimistic, tried to deflect Jay's taunt about caring too much of what he thought of the teacher. A light ringing of the door opening sounded, quickly followed by a cheerful voice proclaiming while a paper bag was thrust before her, "I'm back Aria-chan! And I got you a sandwich for a mid-morning snack from the café downstairs. It's spicy – just how you said you prefer them."

Ari raised her brows, taking the bag and ignoring the weird stares Dazai attracted from his entrance and more peculiar actions toward the woman. Indeed, it threw both Jay and Kunikida so off guard that they stopped mid argument to stare at the man in bewilderment as if he'd grown a second head. Even more so at how the red-head put up with his presence albeit a lingering air of annoyance forming around her as he sat next to her and pulled out his own sandwich, eyeing it excitedly.

Unwrapping the food upon her stomach's growl of agreement with his words, Ari took a bite out of it only to scrunch her nose up as a potent taste and stench filled her nose, causing Dazai to stop inches away from biting out of his to question, "Is there something the matter, Aria-chan? Do you not like the crust? I can cut that off for you if you'd like."

The woman scowled at him, glare screaming for him to stop over playing whatever crazy act he'd gotten into since that morning. Sure, she knew it was due to her blackmail, but she'd be damned to let him trick her with shallow flattery and simple favors. Nevertheless, she didn't want to spit out the bite she took out of general courtesy for the entire agency observing them as if they were newfound celebrities or strange creatures that wandered in from the recesses of a swamp, so she forced herself to swallow while making a disgusted face.

"Ah…" Tuck approached from behind, lowering himself to get a better look at Ari's sandwich, a realization pulsing through his amber eyes, "Is that tuna? You're not a big fan of it, are you Aria? I don't think you liked it even when you were a kid. Such a shame since it's one of the cheaper foods, and quite pleasant with macaroni and mayonnaise…"

"Please, the only ones who should eat this rancid fish are cats," Ari grumbled, eyeing the sandwich in disfavor, briefly wondering if Dazai had purposely given her it out of subtle spite in keeping him up the majority of the night cleaning the apartment.

Before she could accuse him of such, the sandwich was plucked from her hands as the man held out his own, stating with an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Aria-chan, I didn't know you felt that way towards tuna. I'll make sure to remember next time. If it helps you can have mine. It's chicken with tomato and lettuce – simple but very refreshing."

"Oh? Then if you insist," she replied somewhat warily taking it from him; after a bite her eyes brightened and she mumbled between bits of sandwich, "You're right, this isn't half bad."

Dazai beamed, expression faltering as he took a bite out of her old one, face reddening at the spices within as he weakly stated, "A-Anything for you, Aria-chan."

As they continued to eat – or rather Aria while Dazai looked at his with an unenthusiastic, slightly pained expression – Kunikida, Jay, and Atsushi slunk closer to the desk, eyeing them suspiciously as Atsushi narrowed his eyes, "Uh, are you two feeling alright?"

"Yeah," Jay added more bluntly, "Did you hit your head or something on the way here?"

"Or maybe prolonged exposure to Dazai leads to a reversal in which he actually does nice things for you without ulterior motives?" Kunikida theorized, the other two mulling it over before quickly coming to a conclusion that it was obviously incorrect.

Their expressions reddened as Tuck stated innocently, "You do seem to be getting along rather well compared to yesterday. Maybe sleeping in the same room helped work things out as you seem a bit closer than before."

"Eh?" Kunikida's face was a mix of embarrassment and shock at where his mind jumped with those words – Atsushi rendered mute while Jay exclaimed, "What?! You're sleeping with him?!"

"Of course not," Ari snapped, turning to glare at their stunned audience, "And if anyone decides to spread that ludicrous rumor, I'll be more than happy to personally knock some sense into them. Got it?"

Instantly the majority of the room turned away, preoccupying themselves with work or computer screens, not daring to return her fierce glare that soured upon Dazai chuckling from her other side, "We did share a _room_ for the first two nights, but Aria-chan said that she'd prefer her own space so I cleaned out the spare for her in addition to my whole apartment since she remarked that it was too untidy and the air was a bit stale. It took a bit of work, but if it makes Aria-chan happy, then it is good enough for me."

Jay's brow twitched in annoyance and semi-disgust while Kunikida scribbled something Ari suspected wasn't true in his notebook; Atsushi murmured from beside the ever sunny Kenji and acting-like-nothing's-wrong Tuck, "Are you sure you're feeling well?"

"Yes, so stop asking and looking like I've sprouted wings," Ari growled, returning her focus on finding the list of items. The pale-haired teen flinched in fear, instantly forcing his features to curve into a weak smile; her expression brightening upon finding the folder at last.

Clicking it opened a document in which the monetary amount alongside owner and object description for some of the entries were laid out. _Wait…_ Ari frowned, scrolling to find more and more of the discrepancy that caused the action. _What is this?_

"What's wrong, Aria?" Tuck inquired, peering at the list yet unable to locate anything amiss. Indeed, it was practically flawless – no surprise considering the compiler.

"This list," she explained, pointing at one of the items listed 'Black Pearl Necklace', "It's wrong."

"What do you mean?" Kunikida stated, almost insulted by her conjecture, "Nothing is wrong with it. I gathered all the information and lists of stolen objects from the hotelier himself alongside accounts from the victims. Everything there is a record of what you stole accounting up to over a million-"

"Over a million yen, yeah, yeah, you've drilled that particular bit into my head a thousand times," Ari grumbled, continuing with more conviction than mock, "But that doesn't change the fact that some of the items on here _I_ never took."

Kunikida shot a disbelieving glare while Kenji inquired, "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she clarified, selecting all the oddities and forming a new list of them, "I only took _cash_ or yen or whatever. My point is: I didn't take any jewelry or anything that had to be sold to gain money."

"Oh? And why should we believe that? You're probably just trying to lessen your debt after seeing how much work it'll take to pay it off," Kunikida growled.

She scowled at him, "Are you really that stupid? No one stealing from a well-known resort while staying in the area would take something so easily traced as jewelry and artifacts that have to be _sold_ thus creating a _trail_ from which the authorities can _follow_. And if I really wanted to pay off this debt so quickly, then I'd probably go after the one who calculated the total and blackmail him to decrease it as a better method instead of arguing with him over an albeit _true_ claim, wouldn't you agree?"

Kunikida glowered at her, but before he could reply a somewhat stern voice like that of a distant grandfather beat him to it, everyone turning to find the leader of the organization staring down at them with piercing eyes, "Your certainty is admirable, but it can only go so far. Kunikida is right to be wary as the amount you speak of consists of over half your debt. But if proof of your words were to be found, then maybe you will be able to convince him otherwise."

Ari's expression sobered while Kunikida, after a brief moment to collect himself, argued lightly, "President, I don't think it is a wise idea to waste our time looking for leads while we have more pressing matters to attend to. As much as I want to see the truth in the matter, we simply don't have the manpower to spare."

The red-head shot him a sour look, ready to chew him out when the leader replied calmly, pinning her with one of those parental looks that kept even the most rowdy children in place, "Indeed, which is why I'm assigning it to you, Dazai, Atsushi, Jay, and Aria to find any proof there may be."

"What?" Kunikida said in shock while Ari gave an almost dreading look that turned into irritation as Dazai cheered, "That's great news, isn't it Aria-chan? You'll be able to prove yourself a lot faster, considering you're not lying of course. Then you'd only be making a fool of yourself."

"Bastard," she growled, pulling him closer to her level by his bolo tie and only growing more irked as he appeared to enjoy it, "The only one who's going to be making a fool of themselves is you if you don't cut it out,"

Their mini scuffle was interrupted as the leader was accompanied by Tuck, who agreed, "I think it's a great idea. If you are short on manpower, then the best solution is to solve this mystery as quickly as possible. Of course, for Aria's sake, I hope you find something."

"And what if we don't?" Kunikida argued, "We don't have time to search all of Yokohama for those objects. When do we come to the conclusion that she's just stalling for time?"

Ari's brow twitched and she turned on the blonde, only managing not to strangle him as Dazai held her back, making her snap, "Let go of me you annoying perv. I've had just about enough of this idiot telling everyone some ludicrous lie."

Kunikida scowled at her, ready to reply and start the argument all over when Fukuzawa spoke up sternly, "That is enough." Instantly they quieted and looked at the man as he continued, "If you truly want to prove yourself then find evidence. You have three days starting now. If you should come up empty then I'll add the expenses we incur to your debt."

"What?!" Ari said incredulously, continuation becoming muffled as Jay and Dazai covered her mouth, former stating calmly, "Understood. We'll bring back anything we find."

The leader of the organization nodded, instructing the blonde, "Call if anything happens, and make sure to record all your expenses. And Kunikida," the man looked up from his notebook, "Even if you doubt Aria, put forth your best effort in aiding her. Like the ancient saying goes: 'The burden of proof is on the one who declares, not the one who denies'."

"Of course," the man nodded promptly, making Ari roll her eyes.

 _Please, even after all that the guy doubts me just as much as that idiot. Oh well, it'll make proving them wrong all the more satisfying._

* * *

And so the story continues onwards.

Next up: Ari, Jay, Kunikida, Atsushi, and Dazai search for clues but may find more than they were looking for along the way

 _badlydrawnellen_ : Yes, it is unfortunate when things don't exactly turn out the way we think they are - guess that's what Dazai was trying to protect Ari from but sometimes reality is better than fantasy in that regard. And I agree, but maybe you've already saved someone? You never know how a simple word of kindness really effects people. Who knows? Maybe you've saved hundreds and you don't even know it c;  
Ooh DGM is the best! Don't be surprised if you see one of the chapter quotes from that series. And haha yeah, I thought the same when making Ari. Hopefully she's not too alike to Tyki's ability. In some regards it isn't because she is able to transfer to others (Dazai not included of course), but a good chunk of it is very similar to Tyki. But then it's an awesome ability so I'll take it.  
Thank you so much for the kind reviews and hope you enjoyed the chapter~

Hope everyone is doing well, and will see you all next week  
To those suffering through summer classes and full time work - right there with you. We can do ittttt!


	9. Obsession

**Ch.9 - Obsession**

" _Of all human weakness obsession is the most dangerous."  
\- _Woody Allen

"This is a waste of time," Kunikida grumbled for the hundredth time, his sour expression illuminated by the twilight sky, "The only thing we've managed to accomplish other than walking in circles aimlessly is increasing the Agency's expenses by 40,000 yen."

"Is that so? I thought it'd be more than that," Ari retorted, glaring back at the blonde, "Are you including the expenses caused by gross annoyance and complaints?"

Kunikida scowled at the red-head who merely huffed and returned her gaze forward where Jay and Atsushi took the lead. Seven full hours passed in which every location they could surmise from the resort's and police's reports checked out unnervingly clean. Not even a trace of foul play related to the previous day's theft could be found even when Jay increased the scope of his ability to detect faint traces of past auras. And while Atsushi tried to remain hopeful for the mission, even his bright outlook greyed by the time they crossed nearly every intersection in Yokohama.

Ari glared at the crumpled list in her hands. _The thief_ has _to still be here. It's too early for them to leave – especially with how good they were doing. But what if they caught wind of us? Is it possible they moved to the outskirts of the city?_ The woman frowned. If that were the case, then they weren't even close to finding the culprit.

The sound of a stomach growling loudly behind made Ari's brow twitch in annoyance at its owner's dramatic moan, "Aria-chan, can we take a break? I'm starving…"

"Not until we reach the next location," she snapped, glaring back at Dazai who lagged a few paces behind, "And if you have enough energy to complain, then speed up you sloth!"

"Eh? How cruel, Aria-chan… After all we've done today we deserve some sort of break…" he groaned, picking up his pace so incrementally it was hardly noticeable.

"I don't want to hear that from the guy who flirted with every girl in sight before asking them to jump off a bridge with you," she muttered, adding clearer, "And we'll take a break when we find this guy."

"If there actually _is_ another thief," Kunikida challenged sullenly, earning a glare from the woman.

"Yeah, cause my whole goal is to increase the amount I have to pay back and extend this hellish nightmare longer than it already is," she bit back, rolling her eyes and turning away from the blonde.

"Why not? It would make our burden all that more if you were to rack up expenses and then disappear into the wind – defaming the Agency's name in the process," he accused as if she'd already fled the country.

Ari bristled. _I realize it's still early, but seriously? What does this guy have against me? It's not like I'm bolting at every chance I get. Hell, I've told him over and over I'm sticking around only because Tuck. So why can't he cut me some slack already?!_

"Calm down Poindexter. Good things take time to find; learn some patience," Jay instructed haughtily.

"What did you call me?" Kunikida's brow twitched, but before the teen could poke him further, Atsushi graciously intervened.

"I believe Jay is right. If this thief were easy to catch then he wouldn't be someone capable of stealing such valuable items. So it makes sense that we're having some difficulty," he reasoned softly.

"Right, which is why we shouldn't stop now," Ari agreed, "After everything, we _have_ to be getting close, and I won't let that bastard slip through my fingers – not after having the gall to shove the blame on me," she ended darkly, clenching her fist as if the culprit was right in front of them ready to get beaten to a pulp.

Atsushi shuddered at her intent while Kunikida sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Please remember that suspects do hold rights against excessive force."

"Oh, don't worry. They have to sign off on their crimes. I'll make sure they have at least one eye and a hand to do that," Ari replied simply, determined to find the person even more upon pure resentment filling her thoughts.

Be that as it may, as the sun dipped below the horizon and colors faded in the shadows, she found her resolve weaken alongside the strength in her sore limbs. And the worsening complaints from Kunikida and Dazai failed to help matters – climaxing in the woman finally agreeing to call it a day and return to their lodgings. A part of her screamed to keep going and use every second they had as the longer it took the less likely they were of finding the culprit, yet another felt worn away by doubt born of a spreading uncertainty of the second person's existence.

 _I didn't steal those items, but how am I supposed to prove anything without evidence? It's so frustrating. I don't want to stop, but what else can we do? We've already checked out half the places on the list and came up with nothing!_ Ari grit her teeth, clenching her fists angrily.

"Hey, relax," Jay stated, slowing to walk beside her, "We'll catch this guy."

Ari let out a breath. _At least someone believes me. Although does it really count since Jay's family? He kinda has to believe me… Still better than Mr. 'I told you so'…_ She glowered at Kunikida who contently led the way back.

"Yeah, I just wish we could get this over with already. The last thing we need is another week here," she frowned, gazing up at the smoggy sky with a scowl, "This city screams 'get out while you still can'."

"And we will," Jay replied simply, "We haven't gotten this far just to be stuck in some place because of a stupid mistake you made. No matter what, we'll move on just like we always do."

Ari gave a small smile. _That's right. The only thing that matters is that we're together. We've faced far worse than this and come out alive, this city is no different._

Her soft expression, however, soured as Dazai pushed between them, hooking an arm around their shoulders, "Aww, are you already making plans to leave? I thought we were just beginning to bond with each other."

"More like forced acquaintanceship," Ari growled.

Dazai frowned, turning toward her, "Forced? Whatever gave you that idea? Didn't you willingly choose to stay here?"

"Willingly involves actually _wanting_ to put up with a perv like you," the red-head scowled, shoving away his arm to take a few extra-long strides ahead.

The man blinked while Jay sighed, "Forget it. You won't be the first or last person who's tried to change her mind. You're better off finding that second thief in that case."

"Oh? I can be quite persuasive," Dazai smirked, but the expression swiftly vanished as he felt a familiar sensation creep down his spine. Pulling away from the young teen, he glanced back, frowning in the darkness while his red-brown eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch.

"Yeah, that's what they all say," Jay rebutted, turning to glance back at him questioningly, "You alright? I know it's a bit of a shock, but best to accept reality now before Ari throws you into a dumpster."

When he didn't immediately respond, Jay added with more concern, "Dazai?" A little ways off, Atsushi and the others turned their attention on the man, wondering what he was up to.

His frown deepened as if suddenly discovering something that didn't meet his expectations yet grated familiarly on the senses. However, before anyone could say a thing, he turned and smiled, "But that's what makes it fun, Jay-kun."

The teen raised a brow caught between 'Is that so?' and 'You're an idiot but I'll let you figure it out the hard way since you're so insistent', before shrugging and continuing onwards, "Whatever you say."

Dazai chuckled, jogging a little to catch up with Ari, "Say Aria-chan, would you like me to draw up a bath when we return? You have pretty large bags under your eyes. Not to mention you'll get crow's feet if you keep frowning like that."

The red-head's lip twitched up into a nettled grin, "What was that you living embodiment of a cold-sore?"

"See? You're so stressed even your usual talk is barbed," he sighed dramatically, offering brightly the next second with a raised finger and a wink, "Hey, how about a nice massage? I've been said to be very good at giving them."

Atsushi and Jay shot the man a perturbed, slightly mortified look; Kunikida mirroring it, "This day's been so endless I almost forgot how weird those two were this morning. Are you sure she didn't poison him or something?"

"Not unless this is his ghost haunting her," Jay muttered, Atsushi adding in slight chagrin, "If that's the case then I feel bad for Harris-san…"

Ari bristled, not within ear shot of the trio, and snapped at Dazai, trying unsuccessfully to stay ahead of his longer strides, "Touch me and you die you perv!"

They all sighed as the man continued nonetheless, a smile on his face as he easily matched her step for step, "Aww, how kind of you Aria-chan. Are you sure you don't want to join me?"

"Go to hell," she growled, beginning a tireless round of bickering between the pair that lasted well after they returned and into the night.

…

The following morning proved an early waking for the five, each setting out as soon as dawn's light brushed against the tops of Yokohama's sleek skyscrapers – per Aria's persistence of course. Despite the groans and complaints she received from Dazai and Jay (Atsushi remaining in an almost zombie state of exhaustion for the first hour), a fresh desire and dose of energy to catch the culprit ran through her veins. Of course the time limit Kunikida relentlessly brought up held cause for urgency, but more than that she wanted to clear her name. Sure it wasn't exactly clean even if things turned out for the best, but those were _her_ actions and her pride wouldn't let her take the fall for something she didn't do.

Still, saying and doing proved two entirely different creatures – the latter irritatingly elusive in this case.

For much of the morning and midafternoon, nothing changed except for the faces they passed in rechecking old routes and their scrutinous scanning of new ones only to come up just as empty. It certainly didn't help Kunikida's already sour mood as the man continued to relay his belief that everything was some scheme Ari planned to somehow abash the Agency. Even Atsushi began to show signs of agreement with the blonde. Although he wouldn't openly admit it, she could tell his patience with the roundabout mission was wearing thin.

As for Dazai, well, his lukewarm comments about both being potentially correct were mostly ignored by Ari.

Indeed, perhaps the only to retain a solid belief in her was Jay, who she still didn't know whether to add to the list or not. Regardless, it certainly beat standing alone. Or, at least, alone and an annoying half.

"Aria-chan, aren't you going to eat?" Dazai prompted, shifting over to practically lay on her.

The red-head scowled, shoving him away, "Get off."

"But Aria-chan, I'm worried about you. You haven't even ordered anything," he persisted. Picking up a sardine with his chopsticks, he brought it up to her mouth like a parent feeding an infant, "You have to eat something. See, I've got a tasty treat right here. Say ahhh~"

"I swear if you don't cut it out right now I'm gonna send you to a mental organization so they can force you to live out every second of your life in some white room," she growled, eyeing the fish with disgust, "And I'm not that hungry for the likes of a rancid fish."

The bandaged man pouted, retrieving the fish almost dejectedly as Jay spoke up on her other side, "Despite his stupid attempt, Dazai's right. There's no point going on if you're not going to at least eat. It doesn't have to be a five course meal, just a roll or something small will do."

Ari sighed, deciding it best not to argue with the teen over health issues and swiped one of the pickled vegetables off of Dazai's plate, throwing it in her mouth. Ignoring the man's dramatic sound of offense, she replied while continuing her study of Yokohama's map, "Happy now?"

"Well, it's something," Jay responded while eating more of his rice.

"That's more than what we could say for this ridiculous fiasco," Kunikida grumbled, glaring at the woman from the corners of his eyes, instantly earning a scowl from her. Before she could respond and begin for the hundredth time that day the same argument of her innocence, he continued irritably, "Don't bother. I've already spoken with President about it, and we agreed if by nightfall your word remains the only evidence we hold in this case, then we will end the investigation and charge you the expenses of these two days – including labor."

"Are you kidding me?!" Ari snapped. Rage propelled her to stand and nearly knock over the low table, Atsushi fumbling to keep his drink from spilling as she snarled, "You can't just change the terms of the agreement on a whim!"

"I'm afraid you have no say in a matter that's already dealt with," he replied cordially, albeit with a touch of anger, "Besides, it is still a generous offer if you ask me. You'll be getting off much easier in this scenario."

"Bastard!" Ari hissed, swiping up her coat and storming out the door, unable to look at the blonde a second longer without suppressing the urge to break his tidy glasses.

"Ah, Aria-chan…!" Dazai called after, but she ignored him – instead slamming the sliding door with such force it nearly broke.

The males in the room blinked. Atsushi's features more alert in shock, Kunikida shaking his head like a disappointed parent, and Dazai still caught in mid reach for the woman. For his part, Jay sighed, gently placing his bowl on the table and rising, "Nice going Glasses. Couldn't have added a little subtlety to it?"

Kunikida frowned, "Why should I? Anything less than the truth would be a lie."

"And this is why your love life is doomed," Jay rolled his eyes, swinging on his jacket and untucking his hair before continuing forward, "Don't worry, I'll go make sure she isn't making a fool of herself. We'll meet you out front when you're ready," he concluded by tossing enough notes on the table to pay for his portion of the meal.

Once outside, he quickly located Ari a little ways off, leaning on one of the older restaurant's wooden pillars. Even without his natural vision, the teen could tell the place stood stark contrast to its more modern surroundings – the creaking of its wooden frames a soothing melody from the more robust city noises. Still, it served decent food at a good price. If only it could make the two stubborn idiots get along long enough to figure the case out.

"What the hell is that guy's deal?" Ari grumbled as he approached, folding her arms crossly, "It's been nothing but scorn and ridicule from the get go! I'd rather have that annoying bandage-wearing sloth over him at this point."

"Well, you're not wrong about his attitude. Guy must step on a hornets' nest every time he sees you," Jay agreed, noting with some curiosity that despite his initial meeting with the blonde, he received much less tongue lashings than the woman. "Still, it wouldn't hurt to go easy on him. He's only trying to protect the Agency."

"You're seriously defending that prick?" Ari growled, sharp teal gaze narrowing at the smaller teen, "Come on Jay, the guy takes following whatever's written in that stupid handbook of his as gospel. Everything he does has to be completely straight with the rules – it's annoying as hell! Frankly I don't care what his reasons are, just give me a freaking chance for once!" she finished with an angered yell to no one.

A few passing faces turned at her outburst, but graciously continued on their way. Frustration weighed down Ari's form and she fought to keep it all under control. A part of her knew that Jay was right in his deductions of the man, but his discrimination against her drove her to the brink of insanity. Even the idea of sucking up to the guy, as miniscule as the possibility of that was, felt like a wasted effort. And now not only did she have to put up with him, but her time limit was drastically reduced.

 _Seriously? Can I not catch a break?_ She scowled at the grey-blue sky.

"Hey, lighten up. We'll figure this out, and when we do it'll be nice to see the look on his face," Jay nudged her, prompting a smirk at the thought of the prideful man apologizing to her. While he was pretty sure the image Ari conjured in her head was a dramatization of what would occur, he continued lightly, "Until then, we could probably steal his notebook while he's not looking and write 'Be cooperative with Ari' in it or something. That way he'd have no choice but to follow his 'plan'."

Ari chuckled, "Yeah, that'd be amazing. Remind me to do that later."

"Sure thing," he smiled, their heads turning to find the man and his two companions exit the eatery and head their way.

The red-head shot a final smirk his way before approaching the trio, voice caught between their lighthearted talk and scolding as she called, "What took you guys so long? Come on, pick up the pace! We've still got a lot of ground to cover."

"R-Right…" Atsushi weakly smiled while Dazai sighed, "You're a real slave driver, Aria-chan. Don't you know it's not healthy to move about for a half hour after a meal?"

"Really?" Kunikida raised his brows at the comment, but before his partner could pull him down another endless road, Ari huffed, "That only applies to swimming, moron."

"Boo, you're no fun Aria-chan," Dazai pouted at his thwarted attempt to tease the blonde. Nevertheless a small glint of mischief remained as the woman scowled, placing her hands on her hips and shooting him an irritated look, "Focus idiot. Fun can come later."

"Oh?" the bandaged man replied. Behind Atsushi blushed as he leaned a little closer and continued in a honeyed tone, "I look forward to it."

Completely unfazed, Ari pushed his head away and turned back where Jay remained at the pillar looking off into one of the alleyways almost vacantly. Noting his odd stance, she prompted, "Jay? You coming?"

When he continued in silence, not even budging at her question, a wave of unease passed through Ari. _Only a few things could cause Jay to act this way… It couldn't be…_ She minutely tensed. Meanwhile, noting her reaction and the teen's silence, the three agents looked on in varying levels of concern: Atsushi's containing mostly tense worry, Kunikida a shadow of doubt, and Dazai a hint of curiosity.

"Hey!" Kunikida prompted, while Dazai echoed, holding a hand next to his mouth to reinforce his call, "Jay-kun!"

Much to their shock, instead of replying, Jay suddenly dashed across the street – straight into the bustling traffic. Atsushi let out a horrified gasp, while Ari immediately chased after the teen, calling out his name in a semi-panicked tone. Despite knowing he wouldn't recklessly walk into traffic, nor that he had any tendencies like the man behind her, a pulse of fear chilled the red-head's blood as she swiftly pursued him.

By some miracle, Jay managed to avoid being flattened by a vehicle, although he did create a bit of chaos as drivers slammed on their breaks to avoid hitting the blind teen – some crashing into others and creating a roadblock that quickly obscured his form. Ari grit her teeth, cursing his recklessness like many of the drivers, and proceeded forward without hesitation even as she heard Kunikida's angered warning to stay put.

 _I could care less what that OCD jerk thinks. Besides, he already hates me; this can't possibly make things worse than they already are. And I'll be damned if I let Jay run off on his own – especially with him acting so weird_ the red-head thought as she activated her ability; running clear through the blockage that stalled the trio behind her. Not missing a beat, she chased after Jay into one of the alleyways bordering the road.

"Jay!" she called, lengthening her strides until she finally caught up to the teen. Shooting out a hand, she snatched his shoulder and dug her heels in – effectively stopping the teen while continuing in an almost scolding manner, "What the hell were you thinking? What's with you?!"

"Idiot!" Jay snapped, tearing away from her grip and shooting the woman with a fiery glare, "You just let him get away!"

"What…?" Ari's face scrunched in confusion, but before another word could be said between the two, a piercing sound of metal hitting ground echoed through the alleyway, effectively silencing them.

Both whipped their heads in the direction, bodies tense as Ari's eyes narrowed on the source: a small golden band coming to a swiveling stop – the whirling noise of its descent only heightening their unease. Ari felt as if her heart forgot its purpose; her wide teal eyes trailing painfully up to barely distinguish a shaded figure that only just stood out in the darkness. Nerves on edge, the two sides stared at each other, frozen in place for what felt like centuries.

 _Who is that?_ Ari's mind fought to identify the stranger, not recognizing the form. Indeed, the only hints of information she gathered summed up to a small conclusion that it was a male – but not any that she readily picked out in her memories. A part of her was grateful, yet another tensed in apprehension.

 _If this man was the reason behind Jay's actions, then something must be up…_ Her thoughts trailed off as her eyes flickered back to the golden band below, shining almost malevolently in the dim light. A frown slowly marred her face as Ari returned her attention to the figure. _Is it possible that he's the one? Can he really be the thie-_

Her thoughts cut short as the man suddenly moved, action creating explosive consequences as Jay immediately darted after him, yelling, "Stop!"

Heart pounding, Ari quickly followed in beat – the pair closing the distance between them exponentially and nearly making it halfway before a figure landed directly in their path. A startled gasp left the woman's throat as they collided with the newcomer, whose form roughly took in their inertia yet remained firm. Vaguely she felt something soft and warm brush the bottom of her chin alongside an itching prick at the base of her neck. However, her attention was so focused on the diminishing figure in the shadows that she didn't even identify the person until he spoke up, voice void of any typical shyness.

"Please, don't move," Atsushi warned in a level voice, holding a pair of transformed hands with deadly claws poised centimeters away from the pair's jugulars.

For a moment, Ari stared wide eyed, not completely grasping the impossibility before her. Slowly her mind remembered that the young teen was also an ability user; his gift, she assumed, holding a transformative power. And while she was impressed at his control and unexpected bravado, a stronger alarm triggered by the unknown man disappearing around the corner prompted an urgent yell from her lips.

"Move Atsushi!" she demanded. Beside her, Jay tensed, unable to budge without facing some consequences, yet a brief exchange of looks out of the corners of their eyes made a silent agreement for her to continue onwards.

Nevertheless, right as the red-head made to activate her ability and pass through the teen, a hand wrapped around her wrist, quickly echoed by the click of a gun switching off safety. In a firm motion, Ari found herself tugged upwards onto her tip toes – form staggering a bit in efforts to keep from falling. Her mind reeled, struggling between an obsessive urge to chase after the figure and the sudden setback whose source gradually clarified as the bands of golden light faded into silvery white.

"Tut tut, Aria-chan. You shouldn't wander off like that. Someone could get hurt, you know?" Dazai's voice sounded far too lighthearted for the tension in the area – completely out of place beside Atsushi's deadly claws and Kunikida's gun directed precisely at the woman staggering a little in the bandaged man's coarse grip.

"L-Let go!" Ari winced at his bruising hold on her wrist, trying unsuccessfully to pry it away. Her eyes kept flickering back to where the obscured figure disappeared; heart pounding so hard she vaguely feared it would jump in pursuit without the rest of her.

Noting her stress, Dazai's smirk diminished somewhat, but Kunikida spoke up before he could verbally question anything. Taking a hostile step forward, his gun hand remained firm much to Jay's unease as the blonde spoke in an icily calm tone, "I advise you to back down. Your actions just now, while not completely clear in motives, are close enough to define as abandonment. If you don't wish to face the consequences, you will cease your struggles at once and come quietly. I believe I've had just about enough with your games."

"Bastard!" Jay snarled, glaring icily at the man and turning despite the proximity of Atsushi's claws, "Don't you _dare_ even think of hurting her!"

The detective's sharp olive eyes narrowed at the teen dangerously, speaking sternly, "I am sure you know the weight of threatening an agent. Do you seriously want to add yet another expense to your debt?"

Jay scowled, fists clenching in rage as he seethed. However, Ari completely blocked out their words, instead staring in shock at the darkness. She couldn't believe it. They found the thief and were just about to catch him. He was right in her grasp – and she let him slip away. Fury at herself and the agents fought with the numbing shock assaulting her form, only broken as Dazai tugged her arm so that she was forced to look at him.

"Aria-chan-"

"Let me go, Osamu!" she interrupted urgently.

At the sound of his name, the man blinked in surprise alongside his coworkers. While a faint blush lit Atsushi's cheeks at the intimacy of using his first name, Kunikida's eyes widened in astonishment that no petty nickname or insult came from her. She actually addressed his partner formally, well casually but still leaps and bounds from before...probably.

"Please! If we wait any longer that bastard will get away, and we'll never find him again! I don't care if you charge me for running, just let me catch him!" Ari continued pressingly.

When they remained in shock's grip, the red-head grimaced. She'd hoped that they would snap out of it if she reasoned passionately enough, but Dazai's grip remained firm as ever. She scowled. _If that's the case then I've got no choice…_

Not wasting a second, she let her weight drop, dragging the man's hand down with her. Before he could react, she twisted in his grip enough so that his wrist met her palm. Digging her heels in, she managed to pull him forward into a stumbled run down the alleyway. And while her stomach turned at how she pulled him along, a faint relief simmered at the surface as she finally found some movement at last.

"Dazai-san!"

"Wait!"

She heard the other agents' calls from behind, quickly followed by a soft grunt and patter of footsteps following after. Without needing to look, she knew Jay was right behind them. Hopefully her unwitting companion would stay stunned long enough to keep the chase going. Ari accepted all too painfully that all the man need do is dig his heels in and he'd stop her inertia.

Fortunately, whether it was out of stupefaction or amusement, Dazai remained passive in her grip as he willingly followed after. Ari's brow twitched. She didn't know if she should be grateful or annoyed at the action. _Did he plan for this to happen? No way this idiot could be that clever. Either way, the second he loosens his grip I'll kick him to the curb._

As if reading her thoughts, he curled his fingers around her wrist snuggly. The red head was seconds away from elbowing him in the gut when Jay gasped, "There! He went in there!"

Instantly they looked to find a warehouse come into view. Nothing appeared off about it. It was your average storehouse in the port city. Not even the surrounding buildings spoke malice. In fact, they looked surprisingly suburban and ordinary. However, Ari knew better than to doubt Jay's assertion.

Nevertheless, just as they were about to reach the building, Dazai suddenly put the brakes on their dash. In a smooth motion he tugged Ari back, woman stumbling into his chest, while his other arm almost clotheslined Jay had the teen not veered at the last minute. Be that as it may, the man swiftly plucked him by the scruff of his shirt before he could fall to the ground.

Holding the pair firmly, he smiled, "As fun as having Aria-chan pull me to some secret location, I must put a stop to this before it gets too dangerous. After all, what sort of friend would I be if I let you two run into some abandoned warehouse?"

"Come on you idiot!" Ari snapped, Jay continuing in irritation, "Can't you see that the thief is hiding in there? Quit being such a coward!"

Dazai chuckled, shifting so that they minutely rose and fell in his grip, as Kunikida and Atsushi finally caught up. Recovering his breath, the blonde started, "What do you mean?"

"What do you think, idiot?!" Jay retorted, jabbing a finger in the warehouse's direction, "The guy who we've been spending hours looking for is right there! What'd you think we were chasing after? A rabbit?"

The man frowned at Jay's sarcasm while Atsushi questioned, "Eh? So you think he's hiding in there?"

"I don't think, I _know_ ," Jay growled seriously.

"Hmm, it isn't a bad hiding place," Dazai mused, a slight tilt of his head showing his curiosity, "Although there's still to be wanted in terms of what distinguishes this particular warehouse from the others – especially with how close it is to civilians. Not exactly the most secret of places."

"That's because you're not looking closely," Jay snapped, making the brunette raise an amused brow.

"Oh? And what makes you say that, Jay-kun?"

"Let me go and I'll show you," the teen growled, annoyed glare faltering as he suddenly plopped to the ground – only barely recovering in time to land on his knees.

Dazai shot him a smile, "Alright then, lead the way."

"Oi, Dazai," Kunikida warned, shooting the teen a wary glare, "Do you think that's such a good idea? The kid will probably make a run for it the first chance he gets."

Jay bristled but Dazai beat him to responding, speaking in an almost bored tone, "Not likely. Well, so long as I still have Aria-chan that is," he punctuated by wrapping his hand under her stomach and tugging her off her feet and under his arm – effectively cutting off whatever barbed response she aimed to dish out.

"Besides, this way we can finally tell for certain whether or not these two made up a story to escape or not," he finished, turning his rusty gaze on the blue-haired teen, "After you, Jay-kun."

The named scowled yet turned nonetheless, huffing, "Fine. Don't start crying when your stupid deductions are shattered."

Dazai merely smiled and followed him, Kunikida and Atsushi falling in line after a brief moment's hesitation. Ari grunted as she pushed against his arm that dug into her gut, "B-Bastard! I can walk perfectly fine! Let me go already you perverted sloth!"

"Aww, but how can you expect me to let go after hearing you finally say my name? It would be a shame to let such affection go unreturned," he simpered to her gross irritation.

"Ass, I'll show you-"

The red-head cut off as he suddenly stopped beside Jay, gaze jerked to the ground as she haphazardly flailed to steady herself in his grip. Before she could snap at him, an opening in the ground caught her gaze, rendering her mute like the other three agents beside her. A few steps lead into the murky darkness – clearly hinting that whoever they chased fled down the passageway.

"See?" Jay crossed his arms in a mix of haughtiness and annoyance, "Not so 'average' after all, huh?"

"A secret escape route?" Atsushi murmured in awe while Kunikida added, the first notes of belief in the second thief since beginning the mission darting in his gaze, "It must lead to the tunnels beneath the city."

"Quite the way to get around unseen. I'm impressed," Dazai added lightly.

"Please," Jay rolled his eyes, "And they call _me_ the blind one."

* * *

Whew, almost thought I wouldn't make it in time. Honestly I've been so busy I thought today was Sunday and I was a day late. So much for summer break being relaxing, right?

Alright, so getting down to some business, as you may have guessed my life's been crazy this week between opening a new park and classes starting and life in general. To tell the truth, I kinda hate the ending of this chapter and may end up changing it later so don't be surprised. Just wanted to finish it for everyone and get this update out. As I am a little busier I can't guarantee weekly updates anymore. Or at least until July when classes end and I get some more time to work on this. However, don't fear the story will continue onward (even left a little less of a cliffhanger in this chapter to sort of soften the blow).

At any rate, I'll still pop by every now and again if anyone has any comments, questions, or anything of the sort.

Hope you all are having a wonderful summer!


	10. The Monster Below

**Ch. 10 - The Monster Below**

" _The catacombs where ghostly bodies lie. In the silence you hear the screams go by."_

Jackie Mae

Damp, stale air swirled perniciously in the dark recesses hidden beneath the great city of Yokohama. Unlike its brethren drifting through slightly higher tunnels carved for transportation purposes, this collection of oxygen and other chemicals rarely saw anything but blackness temporarily broken by the stray insect or creature unfortunate enough to venture into its depths. Therefore, when a particularly large group walked among its corridors, a certain spark seemed to fill the area as if the very molecules making up the air were jumping with excitement.

Excitement?

No. Maybe a better word would be _apprehension_.

Soft footsteps echoed in the narrow tunnels whose moldy walls brushed uncomfortably against the wanderers like walls of an ancient catacomb. A small light lead the way, shining brightly in the deprived space despite a slight tremor from its wielder's hand as he continue forward almost reluctantly.

He'd witnessed countless events that would keep many awake for days. He had ventured into the pits of evil, faced demons and returned alive, risked his life numerous times, even survived abandoned hospitals he was convinced were occupied by malevolent spirits from beyond. Compared to civilians, he was more than accustomed to what would be casually called scary situations – enough to walk among them with ease. And yet the confining, ever-shrinking walls of the mysterious tunnel he somehow wound up in grated uncomfortably on his nerves alongside an immovable lump in his throat as many questions filled his mind.

Like why did he have to go first?

For a moment he believed his nerves incapable of continuing any further into the maze of underground tunnels (although technically thus far it only spanned in one direction, albeit a downward sloping one) that failed to show up on any map he studied. Sure, a piece of him wanted to document everything as the discovery could prove useful later on. But a larger part wanted to turn tail and bury these horrid passageways fit for the finest of horror movies away for eternity.

Before he could think of performing the latter a rough hand pushed at the middle of his back, followed by a sullen voice, "Speed up already Grandpa. At this rate the thief will make it to Rome by the time we get out of here."

Kunikida shot a glare behind him where Jay's light blue eyes bore into him with such precision he almost believed the teen could see him, and huffed, "Do you understand the meaning of caution? We don't know what is down here. For all we know the person we are pursuing could have laid traps, or maybe he already has and we're walking foolishly into a dead end as he seals up the entrance."

The blonde suppressed a groan. He knew they should've waited until back-up arrived before venturing in. Now they couldn't even rely on cell phones to contact anyone. If they were to die here, no one would gain word of their disappearance, let alone ever find their bodies.

"Do _you_ understand the meaning of caution? Who builds a tunnel system with only one exit, moron?" Jay snapped back, pointing into the darkness ahead of the man, "There's a slight breeze coming from that direction. You know what that means? Another exit. So unless this thief is a moron as well, we're perfectly fine so long as you stop shaking in your shoes and get a move on!"

"Brat…." Kunikida grumbled, ready to strangle the arrogant teen, who merely leveled a challenging smirk at him.

"Oh? Sure you wanna do that? Even without my ability, you're an easy hit Grandpa," he taunted only for a hand to swat the back of his head.

"Cause getting into a fight now will totally speed things up, idiot," Ari growled from where she half climbed Dazai to smack the teen in the narrow tunnel that became increasingly cramped in trying to move about.

As means of precaution, Kunikida decided that they go into the tunnel single-file – although with the slowly narrowing walls barely two people could stand shoulder to shoulder without considerable strain. Thus while the blonde took up the front, Dazai was positioned between Jay and Ari for caution's sake, with Atsushi taking up the rear. A piece of the red-head was annoyed at his continued precaution-borderline-paranoia, but at least the line-up had her between Dazai and Atsushi instead of the unlucky combination Jay got with the bandaged agent's hand constantly on his shoulder blocking out his 'sight'.

"Seriously though, could you walk any slower?" Ari snapped, directing her glare to the leader, "If you really cared about caution then you'd have let Jay take the lead. He's kinda the only one used to walking around in complete darkness."

"She does hold a fairly valid point, Kunikida-kun," Dazai agreed lightly, having surrendered his typical strut with his arms crossed above his head when the roof declined. Any more and he and the blonde would have to bend over.

"Except for the fact that we're _not_ walking blind," Kunikida argued with a shake of the flashlight his ability conjured in his hand, "And the brat's ability is all the more reason to keep him from leading as he's certain to use it to his advantage and run off."

"Please, not this again," Ari groaned, rolling her eyes, "For the last time, we're not trying to escape. Where the hell would we go anyway?"

"Back outside where the air isn't suffocating…" Atsushi mumbled as if asking they take him with. His skin crawled with discomfort and his lungs craved even the smoggiest of breezes. Anything that would free him from this caging tunnel.

"That's not the point," Kunikida retorted despite picking up the pace minutely, "The person left the opening to this tunnel system wide open, even after he had ample time to cover his tracks – a tunnel that only appears to lead in one direction. If you can't see this is a trap, then the only idiots here are you two."

"Of course it's a trap," Jay rolled his eyes, "But it's not like we've got any other choice. If anything, it's a good thing seeing as it will motivate the thief to linger a while longer instead of darting for the other entrance."

 _That's true. Not to mention it'd fit with why he dropped this ring…_ Ari thought while glancing at the golden band in her palm. Her expression darkened as another scenario lit her mind. _Or maybe he dropped it on purpose so that we'd know it was him? But why do that? Even if he knew we were onto him, why lead us here instead of running away? Does he still have something he needs here? What could prompt him to stay and risk getting caught?_

"Harris-san?" a soft tap on her should brought the woman's attention to Atsushi, his dichromatic eyes wavering in concern, "Are you alright?"

"Oh? I've heard that the air in some underground tunnels holds less oxygen than others – some even containing harmful chemicals disturbed by digging so far into the earth," Dazai mused with a slight mischievous glint in his eyes as he partially looked at the two. From the other side of his shoulder, Kunikida stiffened minutely from where he scribbled their path in his notebook.

"Except for the fact that moss and bugs are still able to survive here," Ari sourly rebutted, "Quit messing around. I'm not going to faint any time soon."

"Faint?!" Dazai gave a dramatic gasp, turning and holding out his hands as if she were going to fall then and there, "Don't worry Aria-chan, I will catch you!"

Ari's brow twitched as she shoved him away with her foot twisting ever-so-slightly into his face, "Ass. Do you even know the meaning of good work ethic?"

Atsushi chagrinned, wondering if the suffocating feeling tormenting him came from the claustrophobic walkway or the pair's consistent bickering that appeared impervious to any situation. Still, the now commonplace action brought some familiar relief. Almost as if Dazai purposely teased Ari knowing that it'd have such an effect on their nerves.

The man's Cheshire grin, however, cut short as a foreign sound echoed through the tunnels. Instantly everyone tensed, Atsushi's hair standing on edge as the noise groaned around them as if they suddenly found themselves within the belly of a beast.

"W-What is that?" the white-haired teen stuttered, finding minor solace in the fact Ari and Jay appeared just as startled as him. If they truly were leading them on they wouldn't show such expressions, right?

"It sounds like thunder…" Jay grit his teeth while Ari's gaze gained notes of alarm, "An earthquake? Does Yokohama even get those?"

Atsushi's stomach turned. The confining walls were bad enough, but now an even worse fear weighed on his shoulders. Would they be buried alive? Trapped in an oxygen depleting tunnel miles away from the sunlight? He shuddered, inwardly vowing never to venture underground again. If they managed to make it out alive that is.

"Kunikida-kun, what time is it?" Dazai spoke up, his question bringing four perplexed gazes his way. Atsushi wanted to scream why he cared about the time. What good would it do them other than act as a cruel countdown to their demise as the groaning became nearly unbearable?

A suspicious glint lit the blonde's olive gaze, wondering the same thing, but he quickly glanced at his watch and replied, "It's just past 3 o'clock."

"I see…" the brunette mused, bringing a hand below his chin in picture of contemplation that lasted only seconds as Ari snapped, "Care to share your thoughts?"

Her ire faltered when he pinned them with a gaze void of its typical humor, warning evenly, "I think we should leave."

"What?!" Ari's eyes flashed with objection Atsushi had a hard time grasping considering how every fiber of his being screamed in relief that the words were finally said by someone other than himself.

The red-head, however, seemed impervious to the rising danger in the air as she roughly grabbed at the man's bolo tie, forcing him down to her level as she seethed, "If this is another one of your stupid tricks, I swear I'll-"

"The tunnels are flooding," Dazai cut her off, making Ari stiffen alongside the others as the man stared unbothered by her callous grip that made his tie dig uncomfortably into his neck.

With a gentle hand, he guided her grip loose and straightened up once more, furthering upon their shock while giving an almost sullen frown, "Isn't it odd, that Jay-kun is able to pick up a breeze ahead of us? One that is more noticeable than the one, or should I say _lack_ of one, behind us? It would make sense if the other exit was closer, but we've only traveled about a mile or so."

"So? This may just be a short cut," Kunikida argued lightly, a small tremor in the noise grating against his nerves present in his stance, "No one's ever been in these tunnels for at least fifty years by the looks of things. Who's to say they only span a little over a mile?"

"That's not true," Dazai rebutted, "Our mysterious friend is familiar with these tunnels, and as you mentioned earlier, may have set a trap for us. Only while we were so occupied in searching for hidden levers and switches, we neglected a very obvious fact."

"What do you mean?" Atsushi asked, not knowing if he even wanted to know the answer.

"The sea," Jay grimaced, catching onto what Dazai was saying as he spun around to face him, "We need to get out now!"

"Hold on!" Ari objected despite a rise in tension in her gaze at the blind teen's anxiety, "What are you talking about? We can't just-"

She cut off as a damp sensation quickly enveloped their feet. Looking down, Ari's eyes widened at the sight of water beginning to cover the floor in a steady stream. Meanwhile, a grim expression marred Dazai and Jay's features, the elder of the two speaking, "The other exit, it must be located near the shoreline. That's why Jay-kun was able to feel a stronger breeze, not to mention this tunnel matches perfectly with a route headed in that direction."

Kunikida tensed alongside Ari and Atsushi, the group finally coming together in realizing the source of the groan. It wasn't thunder or the earth shifting precariously around them. It was waves crashing over the other entrance. The blonde felt his throat constrict in apprehension, understanding why Dazai asked his first question, "High tide is at four today…"

"Exactly," Dazai grimly acknowledged, "Which means we have less than an hour to escape before the tunnels flood."

A grimace marred Kunikida's face. Of course, it all made sense now. The lack of information on these tunnels, the reason their suspect lured them in, the grating noise and damp walls… These tunnels weren't abandoned out of a lack of interest; they were a path to destruction twice a day. He berated himself for not realizing earlier. Yokohama was positioned close to the sea; therefore subterranean transport only occurred in the western portions of the city – where the water table was higher.

Their suspect wasn't trying to booby-trap them. He was stalling until the sea swept them away.

An irritated frown at how well they were played lit his features as Kunikida ordered, "Out. Now."

Everyone followed his turn, ready to depart. Everyone except Ari, that is. The red-head stood stubbornly in place, gaining a few questioning and surprised glances from the group soured by one of irritation from the blonde as he growled out, "Move. We don't have time for your tenacious pride."

"Are you joking? We can't just leave and let that guy get away!" Ari argued, remaining firmly in place. Her gaze hardened in challenge when it met his.

"As much as I would adore staying here and dying with you Aria-chan, Kunikida-kun is right," Dazai spoke up, reaching to place a hand on her shoulder.

Ari daftly slapped it away, hissing, "Are you seriously this dense? There's no way that bastard didn't see this coming. You said so yourself that the tunnels are going to flood in under an hour. Even if he managed to reach the other exit, there's no chance he'd make it out in one piece."

Dazai frowned, objection clear in his rusty eyes, but Ari continued before he could speak up, "There must be another exit, or some other tunnel that doesn't flood even at high tide. Why else would he go down here too?"

Atsushi gave a perturbed frown, caught between rising panic and intrigue at the accuracy in Ari's statement. Still a portion of doubt prompted him to speak up, "But how do you know if they even exist? They could be another mile away for all we know."

"Or only a few feet in front of us," she rebutted easily, leading their attention to where Jay frowned in contemplation as she continued, "Jay's ability can tell us exactly where they are."

" _If_ there are any," Kunikida scowled, yet surprisingly compromised before the red-head could throw any barbed responses his way, "But if they truly do exist, then they're our best option in beating the tide. So," he glanced down at the teen, "I'll let you use your ability for now."

Jay huffed, shoving past the blonde to finally take the lead, "As if you could actually control whether or not I use my ability in the first place."

Ignoring Kunikida's indignant huff, the young teen took a deep breath, letting his eyes close as he activated his ability. Instantly, the blackness around him glowed with a faint blue-white hue – surrounding tunnel and its blurred features finally coming into view alongside the colorful figures marking himself and the others, each its own unique shade reflecting emotions, personas, even the thoughts of the owners. And while the vivacity of the agents' auras intrigued him, Jay forced his focus to direct in front of him.

Gradually, he expanded his senses – watching as the tunnel system lurched forward without having taken a single step. Seemingly identical walls continued for a good time until finally exiting from an opening carved into the bluff of a cliff side a few miles away from the city. It was an impressive feat, and likely, Jay presumed, a product of illegal smuggling. Indeed, it was the perfect spot to transport stolen goods. Was that why the thief was using it as well?

Jay frowned, searching the area yet finding no vessel whatsoever. Coupled with the sheer drop, there was no chance the thief would jump lest he risk getting cut into pieces against the sharp rocks below. That only left one possibility: he had to still be in the tunnels. But where? It was too narrow for him to have possibly snuck past. And yet he failed to see another passageway linked to the main tunnel. Could he really have led them in without venturing in himself?

"Jay?" the name frowned as Ari's voice sounded distant to his senses, "Got anything?"

"Just give me a second…" the teen murmured, furrowing his brows as he observed the passageway more keenly on the return trip. He had to have missed something. Or maybe it was behind them? Dazai's ability did prevent him from using his for a while now. Perhaps they unknowingly passed a hidden route on their way in….

After a few seconds, in which the water slowly began lapping at their ankles and created anxious glances between the agents, Jay let out a sigh and opened his eyes, "I couldn't find anything aside from the exit on the other side. No thief or secret passageway."

Turning halfway, he noted the abundance of disappointment, panic, frustration, and other emotions swimming about the five to fade from his attention as he continued, "But that doesn't mean Ari's wrong. We could have passed-"

Wait.

Jay suddenly stiffened, action creating a fuse that quickly corrupted the group's auras with a black apprehension. All but _one_ , that is. One situated ironically in a dead end positioned right beside Ari. Dead end? No. It was the very thing he was searching for. The secret tunnel was far closer than any of them realized. Only it brought with it a sinister undertone as his senses quickly picked up a square item in the person's grasp.

As for their part, everyone observed Jay's bristling stance uneasily, wondering what exactly he found. Intrigue mingled in Dazai's gaze as he studied the young teen, mind already forming countless ways in which the ability could be used to gain the upper hand in nearly any situation. To be able to 'see' into an enemy based without ever stepping foot in it… Indeed, it was a frighteningly powerful ability. All of the trio's abilities were – making persuading them to join the Agency all the more imperative.

A small, almost cynical smile tugged the corners of his lips as realization came clear to him that their capture of the trio steadily became more luck than skill based. If not for their unawareness of the Agency, the three foreign ability users could have evaded them with ease. They were truly an untouchable group.

Without warning, the tunnel around them flooded in darkness so potent his thoughts were torn away. A few gasps of shock from Atsushi, Ari, and Kunikida echoed around him as Dazai blinked. Or at least he assumed he did. Aside from the lingering breeze, it was near impossible to tell whether his eyes were even open.

"W-What happened?" Atsushi spoke up shakily, throat beginning to constrict in terror. It was bad enough that they were underground in the confining tunnels, but now, without light, he felt it unbearable. Not even enhancing his vision with his ability provided relief. All he could see was darkness.

"The light's gone out!" Kunikida spat while smacking the edge of the flashlight on his wrist in vain efforts to revive the light. How was it possible for the battery to have gone out so quickly? The blonde grimaced. He couldn't even resort to pulling out another one in this suffocating darkness.

Somehow, Dazai felt the man's glare and pouted, "How rude. You don't honestly believe I had anything to do with it, Kunikida-kun?"

A dull smack followed by the bandaged man giving a small grunt echoed in the tunnel as Ari growled, "Quit fooling around you-"

"Ari!" Jay suddenly interrupted, spinning around to find the foreign figure suddenly right behind the woman. His nerves spiked as he saw the person's arms encircle her like a spider ready to snatch its prey before swiftly bringing a hand over Ari's mouth.

Instantly, the young teen attempted to aid her, only to roughly collide with Kunikida, who fell into Dazai and Atsushi as the thief tugged Ari into the adjoining passage. Within the series of groans and surprised yelps, Jay grimaced as he heard muffled yells from the woman – sounds that quickly faded as her form went slack, making him tense. The thief must have used an anesthetic. But why? Why target Ari?

He shoved the questions away, pushing up from where he partially landed on the blonde agent to practically scream as the figure swept Ari in his hands and turned tail, "Dazai, your two o'clock, now!"

Not hesitating a moment despite the lingering chaos surrounding him, the bandaged man's hand swiftly shot in the direction. A coarse, foreign fabric brushed his fingertips torturously before disappearing entirely, sending a bolt of surprise through his veins while Jay let out a half-frustrated half-panicked yell.

"What is it?" Kunikida asked urgently, form tense as he sat up, hands searching the wall beside him for balance before suddenly the surface dropped away, nearly sending him to the floor again, "Is this-?!"

"Yes, and that bastard just took Ari!" Jay confirmed urgently, practically shoving the man down the passageway, "Come on! We can't lose them!"

While his senses screamed against continuing onwards in unknown territory he couldn't even see his hand in, Kunikida stepped forward, gradually gaining speed and confidence as Jay instructed from behind, "Left! Keep going! Duck! On your right!"

It was amazing, almost as if the young teen travelled these tunnels every day with how accurate his orders were. Of course some were better timed than others as Kunikida felt his sleeves tear and hair roughly brush along the coarse walls upon turning too early, or bumping against them when reacting too late. All in all, he found the teen's ability very useful and almost soothing in the darkness.

Behind, Atsushi and Dazai faced a slightly bigger challenge in following after the pair's swift turns. And while the elder was able to slowly grasp the complex nature of the new tunnels they occupied, a worrisome frown marred his expression. If they were to lose Jay, then the odds of making it out, even with the drawn up map in his memory, were slim. Thus it stood imperative to keep up. Only the task grew much more difficult as they were forced to rely on their sense of hearing instead of sight, giving a faint glimpse into what he presumed being completely blind felt like.

Thankfully, with each step the groaning of the sea water entering the tunnels grew fainter alongside the echoing splashes of water at their feet. Aria was right; there were other tunnels unaffected by the tide. Atsushi gave a small chagrin, wondering what the prideful woman would say upon reaching her.

That is, if they could get to her safely themselves.

Without warning, the floor beneath Atsushi and the man vanished, tearing startled yelps from the two. Instinctively, Dazai grabbed the young teen's shirt collar, hearing him grunt in discomfort as their forms rudely jerked to a stop – dangling into an abyss that could've stretched to the center of the Earth or only a few inches for all they knew.

"Dazai, Atsushi!" Kunikida daftly stopped, causing Jay to bump into him with enough force to make him stumble.

"What are you doing?" the teen spat, "You're letting him get away!"

A rising panic filled Jay as his senses gradually began to lose sight of Ari and her captor in the maze of tunnels that surrounded them. Even with his ability, it would take hours to find them if they lost the trail now. Hours they couldn't afford – _he_ couldn't afford if he wanted to rescue his adoptive sibling.

However, a swift glance back nearly took his breath away. Only a few feet behind the two, the ground opened to reveal a giant chasm filled with deadly spikes – tips of which only a few inches away from Atsushi's feet. They must have activated a trap.

 _Just great, as if we don't have enough to worry about in these damn tunnels!_ Jay grimaced before swiftly approaching where Dazai's shaky hold clung to the side of the hole, a note of panic in his tone as he yelled, "Jay-kun!"

"I got you," the teen announced only to hesitate at the last second. If he touched Dazai, his ability would cancel out. He'd lose sight of where the thief took Ari. Yet if he didn't grab them, the two would certainly get injured, maybe even die.

"J-Jay!" Atsushi called up, fear trembling in his voice.

The named scowled before snatching up Dazai's hand, finding the action sending him into the same world of black as the others, and grunting as he dug his heels in. Behind, he felt Kunikida grab his waist and aid in pulling his companions to safety, calling out, "Don't let go, we're going to get you out!"

"I don't think letting go even crossed our minds, Kunikida-kun. Well Atsushi-kun's at least," Dazai's half chuckled response echoed in the darkness. After a brief struggle, they managed to pull the pair up, everyone panting from the effort it took.

"T-Thanks Jay," Atsushi breathed, the named glancing over to find the weretiger's golden aura gain notes of purplish emotion unmistakably created from a slight doubt that he wouldn't turn back and save them. It brought a similar murky feeling to Jay, who was caught between indignance at abandoning them to die and guilt that he almost did.

"Yeah…no problem," came his halfhearted response as he glanced in the direction where Ari's faint aura lingered in the air.

"Don't worry," a firm hand rested on his shoulder echoed by an almost sympathetic note in Kunikida's voice that made Jay raise his brows in surprise, "We'll find her. The thief couldn't have gotten too far."

The teen nodded, action surprisingly caught by the blonde as a faint white light lit the tunnel. He blinked, following Atsushi's wide eyes to the phone screen in Dazai's hand as the man commented with a faint smile, "Ah, looks like the effects of our mysterious friend's EMP finally wore off."

"EMP?" Atsushi echoed in slight confusion while Kunikida swiftly took advantage of the light to write out another page of his notebook and summon back a flashlight that quickly illuminated more of their path.

A myriad of different openings stretched before them, making each frown. There were far more paths than they deduced earlier from Jay's instructions. It both intrigued them while sending waves of unease down their spines. Unless one truly knew the area, getting lost was child's play.

Nevertheless, they continued forward, Atsushi addressing the question at the back of their minds, "Why would the thief take Harris-san? I don't understand. Wouldn't escaping be his primary motive?"

"Not necessarily," Dazai answered solemnly, narrowing his eyes slightly, "To begin with, this thief has proven to be quite different from the common lot."

"What do you mean?" Atsushi furrowed his brows.

"For one, he remained in Yokohama," Dazai replied, glancing back at the teen, "Thieves are generally a cowardly bunch – taking what they can get, then fleeing before the suspicion builds and they get caught. Yet even after going through the effort of delaying his capture by framing Aria-chan, our thief _stayed_. Why is that?"

Atsushi frowned, a voice speaking up with notes of foreboding before he could, "Because he hadn't yet gained the prize he came here for."

They glanced up at Kunikida, who walked just behind Jay. The man's olive eyes hardened in anger at the culprit whose motives were slowly becoming painfully clear to him. Dazai gazed at him almost impassively, but agreed nonetheless, "Exactly. His lingering around led me to believe that he wanted to potentially manipulate us into finding whatever artifact he wanted for him. A few times I was almost tempted to oust him for how painfully obvious he was being, but then Aria-chan's efforts in finding the lost items would be for naught."

"Eh? Ousting him?" Atsushi echoed, eyes widening as he continued, "You can't mean that the thief was following us the whole time?!"

"Of course, that's why you were acting so weird," Jay growled, shooting an icy glare at the bandaged agent who returned it with a wry smile.

"You wound me, Jay-kun. After all, I was only keeping quiet out of concern for Aria-chan. Who could've guessed that the thief would actually be bold enough to kidnap her?" he defended lightly.

Jay's glare gained notes of suspicion as he detected faint wisps of black surrounding the man's murky form. He brushed it off as Dazai's eccentric personality at first, but, after his lackluster attempt to sound sympathetic in Jay's perception, the teen felt the vagueness as more of an ominous threat than benign oddity. He narrowed his icy eyes. Perhaps there was more than one monster lurking within the tunnels.

"Oi," Kunikida spoke up, pulling the pair from their stare off as he stepped into an adjacent pathway. His flashlight illuminated the space before them: a room filled with miscellaneous items coated in a thick layer of dust. Stepping in, the blonde continued, "If you two are done wasting time, I think I may have found our thief's hideout – at least, one of them."

Without a word, they filed into the small room. While Jay remained at the entrance, giving a scrutinous one-over of the space, the three agents began shifting through the items. From where he stood in the far corner, Atsushi picked through numerous dust-coated books detailing subjects that ranged from biology to chemistry to a book on tall-tales nearly identical to the one stored in his orphanage's library. Curiosity tinged his dichromatic gaze. Did they belong to the thief? Or maybe someone else?

Across the room, Dazai carefully studied each item he uncovered, steadily gaining more and more bits of information on their thief simply by glancing at his possessions. However, upon shifting a few old boxes away to reveal a good sized metal container, he stiffened – tension in his form only growing as he wiped away the dust to clarify the red markings on the outside. In an almost distant voice, he spoke up, "Oh, this does present a bit of a problem."

"What is it?" Kunikida questioned, approaching the man alongside Atsushi while Jay cast a frown their way.

"See for yourself," Dazai replied, moving so the light from Kunikida's flashlight could illuminate the object.

Kunikida drew a rough inhale, muscles tensing at the familiar chemical compound diagram painted on the side of the container, form minutely shaking in surprise, "It can't be… The Puppeteer?"

"Puppeteer?!" Atsushi tensed, memories of the infamous criminal appearing in newspapers at his orphanage returning with stark clarity in his mind.

The man was practically a legend in the criminal world – killing a good number of victims by somehow turning them into human-sized puppets with strings, porcelain skin, and everything, and displaying them in public areas. Sure the details were never clear (as to be expected from a report to civilians), but the terror was enough that near every force available in Japan was put into catching the mass murderer.

A shudder passed through the teen as he furthered, "That can't be possible. Didn't he die three years ago?"

"That's what the report said, but no body was ever found," Kunikida replied grimly, narrowing his eyes.

From what he read, the culprit was chased down by the Special Ops Division into an abandoned theatre just outside of Tokyo. In efforts to smoke him out, they set the place on fire and guarded every exit only to find that the man chose the horrific option of burning alive instead of getting caught. According to Taneda, his screams of agony haunted even the more stoic members of the pursuit group.

There was no way this thief was the same man.

"Maybe a copycat?" he murmured, narrowing his eyes at the detrimental possibility while a scowl lined his lips. He needed to warn President and Taneda asap. Even if the man they were chasing wasn't the real deal, he presented a tremendous threat simply in possessing what Kunikida highly suspected to be the very same chemical the Puppeteer used on his victims.

"Hold on," Jay spoke up, shooting a disgruntled glance at them, "What are you talking about? Puppeteer?"

"Yes, he's a serial killer that was quite the handful a few years back," Dazai explained, letting Atsushi continue as he began rummaging in another stack of papers that caught his eye, "I don't know all the details, but he earned his name by somehow transforming people's skin into porcelain and then stringing them up like puppets in public areas. It was a pretty scary time," the teen shook at the memories and recalled during that period how strict curfews were mandated not only in his orphanage but throughout the nation as a whole.

"For a time, it was believed that the Puppeteer was an ability user, thus the case fell to the Special Abilities Department," Kunikida furthered, "But it turned out that he was an average human. Well, average in terms of not holding an ability."

"And you think our thief is some copycat of this guy?" Jay grit his teeth. Now more than ever his nerves flared as his instincts screamed to find Ari without delay.

Before he could speak a word, Dazai rose, his aura suddenly gaining notes of apprehension as he held a small stack of papers in his hands. Without needing to say a word, his coworkers flanked either side, and upon looking at the papers their colors shifted darkly in suit alongside a small gasp from Atsushi, "T-That's…!"

Jay clenched his fists, cursing his blindness while snapping impatiently, "What? Did your serial killer have a bad secret? Spit it out!"

He felt their gazes rest on him momentarily, silence and hints of pity in their auras only fueling his fury and irritation, until Dazai spoke up, "They're photos of Aria-chan. It would seem that our thief has had his eye on her for quite some time."

Jay's blood turned to ice, his voice suddenly airy as he echoed, "Ari?"

"Yes," came the grim reply, as Dazai once more looked at the numerous photos taken of the red-head in various spots ranging from an airport to the restaurant they ate at only moments ago. A small scowl lit his face, as he continued, taking a step out of the room, "We should find Aria-chan."

Jay felt like his heart leap to his throat. Ari was unconscious when she was taken, meaning she couldn't fall back on her ability to escape. Even then, she could only go so far in this maze of tunnels – tunnels their potential copycat knew all too well.

The teen bit his lip viciously enough to taste the copper of his blood.

* * *

Long time no see, eh?

First off, please forgive me for taking so long to update even after finishing exams last week. I honestly felt so exhausted after finishing the semester and all its super stressful group projects that I had absolutely no energy apart from going to work, and then a surprise visit from the fam got the previous weekend's time, so forgive the delayed update. Hopefully the longer than usual chapter helps?

For a little explanation, 'the Puppeteer' (an absolutely _horrid_ name choice I know) was inspired by a villain in another amazing series that I'm blanking on its name at the moment but you all should totally watch. Also, as you can see, Jay's ability is pretty formidable. I didn't go into too much detail now, but will in future chapters for each of the trio's abilities. And a little warning that this 'Introduction Arc' or whatever will take up quite a few chapters before actual storyline appears. I simply feel it necessary to really introduce the three and have them interact more as things will definitely get more heated in the future.

All in all, hope you enjoyed and will see you sometime next week~


	11. A Little Celebration

**Ch. 11 - A Little Celebration**

" _Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed."_

Friedrich Nietzsche

A heavy weight rested on her entire form, as if begging her consciousness to remain within the soothing blackness – anything instead of waking to the reality that made even breathing a difficult task. Her lips pursed troublingly. It really was hard to breathe, almost as if she were at the top of a mountain.

Ari furrowed her brows, recalling her venture into the secret passage hidden in the warehouse with Jay and the others. They travelled quite a ways before that horrid groaning began, followed by a realization it was the sound of waves crashing against the other entrance; slowly flooding the passages. After that she recalled arguing with them about leaving, insistent on finding the damnable man who framed her; then the light from the blonde's flashlight suddenly cutting off, Jay's yell, a rancid cloth covering her mouth accompanied by an arm wrapping around her waist, sickeningly sweet air being forced into her lungs, and then…nothing.

Groaning, the red-head attempted to stretch only to find her limbs stop short in every direction. Her heart began to pick up pace and her eyes snapped open, finding a pale light illuminate a rather rundown looking room from the other side of transparent walls that encased her. Ari stiffened, breathing growing unsteady despite a piece of her screaming to calm down lest she pass out from oxygen depletion.

Warily, she reached out about an inch before her palm rested against a glass wall closing her inside what she grimly deduced was some sort of transparent coffin-like case as if she were some ancient mummy on display. Her head spun, and she wondered whether it was from the lingering effects of the knockout drug, lack of breath, or rising panic. The dizzying sensation forced her head back down and eyes closed if only to regain a little control.

 _Where am I? What happened?_ Ari scowled, peering open an eye to glare at the dilapidated stone ceiling. _Did that bastard really drug and kidnap me? If so then where is he?_

As if sensing her thoughts, a figure approached the case, peering down at her with dark brown, almost black, eyes. A flicker of mania crossed his features as he smiled down at her, voice partially muffled behind the glass, "Ah, you're awake. That's wonderful. I'd have regretted it if you remained unconscious for the entire time. Such a waste of a wonderful talk with a beautiful maiden."

Suppressing a shudder of disgust, Ari replied bitterly, "Creep. What the hell did you give me?" Her head spun and she couldn't even muster the energy to activate her ability and get out of the blasted case, let alone maneuver her hand to cover her throbbing head.

"Just a simple sedative of my own creation. It has a nasty side effect, but certainly does the trick, wouldn't you say?" the man smiled back, completely unbothered by her harsh tone. Indeed, he looked near giddy, and when she paused to get a better view she noted his groomed yet ultimately weathered suit and auburn hair were covered in so much grime they appeared more of a greenish black than their true colors.

Ari scrunch her nose, partially thankful for the case keeping his certainly rancid scent away. Nevertheless, she glared daggers at the man, "Bastard. You're the one who framed me, aren't you?"

"Framed you?" he responded as if hurt by her accusation, flipping completely in the next second to a sickeningly sweet smile, "Of course not! I was merely _helping_ you gain the fame you so rightly deserve, Aria."

 _Ugh…_ She felt bile rise in her throat at his use of her name, "Helping? How the hell is setting me up for a crime I didn't commit – for worsening my debt and forcing me to stay in this damn city – _helpful_?"

"Ah, it's okay if you don't understand. All that doesn't matter anymore, because now we can be together forever just as we've always planned," his reply sent shudders of disgust down Ari's spine as she scowled at his manic smile, pressing down as he leaned against the glass, "Isn't that wonderful, Aria?"

"I think I'd rather spend a month handcuffed to Osamu," she replied flatly.

The man blinked, pulling away like a lost child while murmuring, "Osamu?" In the next second, however, his tone gained such pure malice, Ari stiffened in apprehension as his dark eyes glinted dangerously in juxtaposition to the grin tugging up his lips, "You must mean that detective guy. The rotten bastard who dared to try and force you to stay with him forever."

 _Say what?_ Ari's brow twitched, "Uh, wherever your twisted mind is going, that will never-"

She flinched as he brought his fists down harshly on the glass with such force she was surprised the material didn't crack. Tensing, her eyes widened in shock at the unadulterated fury in his tone as he seethed, "That demon and his friends thought they could keep us apart. They ensnared an innocent maiden and forced her into ungodly acts of false repentance. Damnable beasts!"

Ari's jaw clenched as she watched his persona warp dangerously, previous crazy yet ultimately innocuous behavior dementing into a much more sinister version. _This guy's insane!_ She glared up at him, heart pounding as she found herself willing her numb form to regain its senses and escape from the confining box. At least then she could knock the maniac out and get to work on finding Jay and the others.

Unfortunately, her prayers for a swift recovery went unanswered as the man took a deep breath, pushing back the hair that fell in his face to speak more softly, "But alas, we don't have to worry about those dastardly people taking you away. By now, they've probably fallen prey to one of the many traps the ancient pirates set in these tunnels."

Ari's eyes widened, worry mixing with rage at the man should any harm befall Jay or the others. However, he spoke up before she could say a thing, leaning unpleasantly back toward her as an oily smirk lifted his pale lips, "I must say, you're even more beautiful in person. Fortune certainly smiled upon me for letting our paths cross – almost as if we were destined to unite."

She was seconds from retorting she'd rather puke than accept the twisted fantasy, when his next words sent chills down her spine, "Really, I must thank that man for introducing you to me. If it weren't for him I'd never realize the precious gem right under my nose."

"Him?" she scowled, "Who are you talking about?"

He shot her an amused grin that made her blood boil, "No one important. No one that you need bother yourself thinking about. In fact, you don't have to worry about anything anymore, Aria. Because now that we're finally together, I'll make sure that we stay together forever."

"Go to hell," she snarled, banging a fist where his face hovered over her, "The only thing I want now is to beat you to a pulp before the police throw you in some white room to rot away in forever by your creep self."

The man chuckled, tracing a finger over the glass above her cheek as if caressing it through the barrier, "You're so cute, Aria. I love how playful you get – denying the very desires we both know you have to remain with me."

"Ugh," she cringed, instinctively shifting her form away from his vile gaze, "You creep. Why would I even joke about wanting to be with some perverted, twisted lunatic?"

"It's okay Aria," he continued evenly without a trace of insult from her words. Finally he rose, letting her breathe a breath of relief as he approached a small control panel on the nearby wall. Flipping it open, she watched cautiously as he continued, "Even if you can't admit it, I'll make sure we stay together forever. I'm glad, nonetheless, that I finally got to hear your alluring voice without any horrid background noise. I'll miss it, but, as they say…"

Ari tensed, not at all liking the direction he suddenly took as the man gave one last bright smile. A soft click of a switch echoed in the room quickly followed by a murky white gas beginning to fill the case. Instinctively, Ari held her breath, shooting an almost panicked glance as the substance filled the space around her and settled unpleasantly against her skin like glue.

She raised a glare in the man's direction as he concluded merrily, "Sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

…

Rushed footsteps pounded against weathered stone carved out long before their owners' time. Each person's face displayed a certain level of urgency and fear that propelled them faster down the maddening tunnels filled with damp air that made it almost as if they were drowning despite having long since abandoned the connecting passageway that likely already flooded by that point. A brief concern of how they were going to get back passed through the young teen leading the group along a trail invisible to their eyes, but it quickly faded with a much more potent fear.

"Have you found her yet?" Atsushi called from behind, his eyes awash with worry.

His heart pounded painfully in his chest, only growing worse from their sprint and learning that a potential copycat of an infamous serial killer had taken Aria. Sure, a part of him reasoned the red-head could hold her ground, but coupled with the information her adoptive brother shared about seeing her knocked out grated unpleasantly against his nerves and made his stomach twist.

"Almost," Jay replied breathlessly, swiftly disappearing around a dark corner that quickly became illuminated by Kunikida's flashlight, "The trail is getting stronger, she has to be close!"

"Good. If this guy is using the same chemical compound as the Puppeteer three years ago, then we only have minutes to get her out before it's too late," Kunikida commented ominously, causing the blind teen to scowl painfully.

"Aw, Kunikida-kun, no need to bring a dampening to the moral. You'll worry poor Jay-kun if you continue to speak like that," Dazai chided lightly.

"I am simply stating the facts, something that would have saved us a lot of trouble if _all_ of them were shared to begin with," the blond shot a glare at his partner, "I understand what you were trying to accomplish in keeping the thief hidden, but why the hell did you think it unnecessary to share your suspicion that he was targeting Aria?"

"Boo, you're no fun Kunikida-kun. Where would the excitement be then?" Dazai shot back, adding with more weight, "Besides, I _didn't_ know that he was after Aria-chan specifically. To be honest, I assumed Jay-kun was the target."

"Oh?" the teen growled out, almost as if he wished that were the case so he could beat the criminal himself.

"It would have made sense, given that we were headed into a system of tunnels only those familiar with its layout or holding a special _ability_ could safely travel through. Therefore, it was logical to suspect his intent on leading Jay-kun away, thus effectively separating him near permanently from the rest of us," Dazai explained, ducking beneath a particularly low hanging patch of ceiling, "While I suspected Aria-chan initially due to the circumstances of the culprit setting her up and then purposely baiting us here with that golden ring, Jay-kun stood just as likely a target."

"If it makes you feel better, Kunikida-kun, I was grateful for you letting me stand between the two. Unfortunately, it seems even then I was unable to catch our slippery thief," he concluded with a dramatic sigh.

The blonde scowled, "If you have time to put on a show, then focus on the task at hand idiot. President left her in your hands, so take responsibility for once."

"Of course," the brunette responded honestly, eyes betraying no humor or casual joking, "Aria-chan's safety concerns me greatly. There's no way I'll let some lowly copycat snatch her away."

"There!" Jay suddenly called out, digging his heels in further as he noted the faint edges of Ari's aura. He clenched his fists at how it sparked with energy reminiscent of panic, calling out urgently even as Dazai and Kunikida sped past him, former blocking out his ability in the last seconds before they crossed the threshold into the room.

"Harris-san, are you-?!" Atsushi cut off, tense expression deadpanning at what met them as their eyes adjusted to the artificial blue-white light filling the room with similar, yet less dusty, items filling its floors. Situated a little to the left side of the room was a pristine glass case – its contents shrouded by a milky white gas that quickly hardened whatever occupied its space.

However, its only victim would be the small cushion situated within as the four blinked at the sight before them.

"Bastard!" Ari spat, twisting the heel of her boot into a young man's shoulder blades and pulling a pained yelp from him as he remained with his hands bound behind his back by colorful wires. The red-head, while a little more worn than the last they saw her, glared daggers at the pitiful man, whose already sickly state testified simply by the rancid scent filled Atsushi's nostrils.

"Did you seriously think I'd just sit ideally by and let you do whatever the hell you wanted? What kind of flimsy damsel in distress do you take me for?!" she retorted sourly, completely unaware of their presence.

Her rant broke as Dazai failed to keep in the chuckles rising in his throat, pulling the woman's attention at last to the shocked look Kunikida gave beside Atsushi who stammered, "Uh… Harris-san?"

Instantly her features brightened at seeing them, tone far too sunny for her continued stance atop what they could only deduce was the thief and copycat, "Ah, there you guys are! About time. Thought I'd have to drag this lowlife out myself. Anyways, look," she pointed like a child in a candy store to the far wall where a mound of bags rested. A few gleaming artifacts and pieces of jewelry hung out from the corners of the openings as Ari continued happily, "I found the stolen stuff too! Who's the wrong one now, huh?" she finished haughtily at Kunikida, whose stupor finally broke as he swiftly approached the woman, tugging her down to at last save the poor man beneath whose face was a swollen collection of black and blue bruises.

"Looks like we overreacted," Jay smirked despite a tremendous relief filling his being as Ari approached, "You couldn't at least have tried to go easy on him, huh? We need some kind of confession from the guy."

"Don't worry, I left his hands perfectly intact," Ari replied with an impish glint in her teal eyes he noted were surrounded by a small film of white. Indeed, her entire form seemed misted with the substance, making him inwardly shudder that she was exposed even briefly to the deadly compound. He'd need to make sure she showered thoroughly when they returned.

Her expression faltered a little as Dazai suddenly pulled her into a bear hug, proclaiming dramatically, "Aria-chan! I was so worried! That's it; I'm never going to let you leave my side ever again. Never will you have to go through such a traumatizing ordeal again, I swear it!"

"Lay off," she pushed him away, leaving the brunette staring curiously at the white residue coating his clothes yet pulling his eyes up to grin mischievously at Ari as she continued, "I've had my fair share of creepy stalkers for a solid month. I'll kick the ass of the next person who tries to 'keep me forever at their side'. Don't tempt me to start early Osamu."

The man chuckled, beginning a quick round of banter with the woman until Jay announced an accessible exit for them to use, prompting the group to gather the thief and his stolen goods. Before setting off, Atsushi finally broke from his shock at the turn of events from what his mind imagined to follow after them. He couldn't quite grasp the woman or her companions, and this situation hardly helped. Be that as it may, at least now they were going to leave these rancid tunnels behind. Hopefully for good.

…

"Come on, is that all you've got Atsushi?" Ari taunted from where she sat beside the young teen at the counter of Uzumaki café, a half drunken glass of whisky swishing dangerously in her glass as she hooked an arm around him. A light blush painted her cheeks as she gave a Cheshire grin.

Atsushi felt as if his head were spinning, but the feeling was sidelined by a much more potent sensation of almost numbness. As if everything that would normally keep him in proper place grew hazy and only continued to do so with each additional refilling of his glass by the red-head, who watched with great amusement the teen's first experience with the spirit. At first the weretiger thought his throat would be reduced to ash by the strong drink, yet the lingering warmth it imparted felt nice enough to continue. Or maybe that was Aria's persistence and a slight wariness he built upon finding her in the tunnels a few hours ago.

Upon their return, Ari's spirits only continued to rise at the accomplishment they achieved in catching the thief and returning the stolen goods at last. Indeed, the woman was on cloud nine – likely, Atsushi assumed, more so from proving Kunikida wrong than anything as proven by her continued high spirits despite the expenses from their investigation still going through due to them technically finishing sometime after sunset and lessening the impact of the reward and deduction of her debt. Nevertheless, their efforts managed to cut the remaining debt in half. Quite the accomplishment; enough so for the young woman to prompt a celebratory gathering of the remaining agents in the office downstairs at the café that surprisingly held a good stock of alcoholic beverages, with the tab completely on the trio.

Of course, after only a few minutes Ari dragged nearly all the members of the Agency into a drinking challenge in which most were either too drunk to continue or passed out on the ground. Out of those who joined in, only Atsushi, Jay, Yosano, Ari, and a couple of younger office assistants who obviously held experience in these games remained standing. Well, more like Yosano and Ari seeing as the others were dizzy and just coherent enough to pass by. Still, with a reward of the money they threw into the pot for every successful drink, Atsushi wouldn't allow himself to lose.

Raising his glass with a semi-shaky hand, the teen smiled lopsidedly at Ari, "N-Not quite Harris-san. I'm still going strong."

The red-head grinned; cheering him on beside the other two agents as he quickly downed the drink. Off to the side, Kunikida, Ranpo, and Fukuzawa looked on with slight amusement at the scene. They were some of the wiser occupants of the café to keep away from the game and retain their image – instead sipping on tea and more refined beverages while engaging in small talk of the day's mission and other topics. For his part, Kunikida found watching increasingly difficult as the state of the agents steadily grew worse to the point he would've stopped the insane game immediately for sake of the organization's image if not for President commenting that it was good to see everyone let loose after recent events.

Still, out of everyone involved, he would have thought one person in particular would join no matter what. Yet he was nowhere in sight, not even in the café any longer. Said person had enjoyed a glass of whisky upon first coming down with the group, but disappeared at some point in time when no one was paying attention. And while Kunikida let out a breath of relief for having one less person to worry about and cart home, he couldn't keep a small frown from forming on his face as he glanced out the window into the darkness.

 _What could that idiot Dazai possibly be doing now?_

Unknown to everyone there, the bandaged agent remained in the building. Well, _atop_ to be precise as Dazai finished his ascent and opened the door leading to the roof. While he found some entertainment in watching his fellow coworkers interact with each other, and the chance of finding more about Jay and Aria was tempting, something pulled him away from the merriment. Not that he wanted to be alone, but that he simply held no motivation in staying. Instead, he felt drawn to the crisp outside air.

And he wasn't the only one.

"Ah, Dazai-kun," Tuck greeted from where he leaned over the railing, smiling softly at the young man, "Come to admire the fresh air?"

"Something like that," Dazai answered casually, curiosity tinging his gaze at the immortal's presence. He could've sworn he saw the man conversing with President and the others as he snuck out. Had he followed? No, that didn't make sense seeing as he was already there. Perhaps he predicted Dazai's destination and arrived first?

A knowing expression crossed Tuck's features as he studied the bandaged man for a few seconds before turning his amber gaze skywards where the faintest specks of starlight filtered through the dense city smog and clouds, "It truly is a beautiful night. I think it'll be one to remember for quite some time."

"Oh?" Dazai mused, coming to a stand beside the man and following his gaze with less attention to the mundane scenery than Tuck himself, "And what makes tonight so special? Because of Aria-chan's great success I presume?"

"Maybe a little," Tuck replied, awe twinkling in his eyes that glowed like a young child's in juxtaposition to his age, "But I think it's more than that. Perhaps a better answer would be that the world itself seems to be basking in a precious moment of peace – as if an unexpected gift suddenly presented itself."

Dazai nodded in agreement, yet his expression darkened minutely. It was indeed peaceful – _too_ peaceful. It grated against his nerves. Peace now made no logical sense, especially after the move the Guild made only a few days earlier. Why? Why did they suddenly stop after such a brutal assault? Were they planning something major already? Yet why risk the loss of momentum? Something didn't fit, and too many possibilities clogged his mind to pick out any solid conclusion.

Unconsciously, he let out a faint exhale. To stop so suddenly after things finally began picking up… It was exhausting enough, keeping up with this three-way war that barely started and found itself at a détente already.

"That's quite the look you've got there Dazai-kun," Tuck's gentle comment pulled the named from his thoughts as he stared quizzically at the immortal, brows rising in mild surprise at his soft continuation, "You're quite young for those thoughts, although in this time and age it isn't particularly rare, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Dazai put on a fake smile despite knowing exactly where the man was going in his conversation. It grated uncomfortably against his skin – the sympathetic look Tuck gave him. Sure most knew of his suicidal tendencies, but something about the way the immortal addressed it felt more invasive than he'd have preferred.

As if the man was peering into his very soul.

Tuck gave a small smile, "Like sees like, I suppose."

At this, Dazai's eyes widened. _So Tuck-san too desires death? Quite ironic given his ability. Although…_ his frown gained notes of pity. _What a hell it must be for him – to desire the impossible._

"If I may be so bold," Tuck proceeded, facing the agent fully, "How is it that someone like you ended up in a place like Armed Detective Agency?" His golden eyes flickered to his bandages like a concerned parent, yet the question shinning in his gaze remained there as he added sincerely upon noting Dazai shift ever-so-slightly in defense, smile disappearing from the bandaged man's face, "Don't worry, Dazai-kun. You don't have to answer if it makes you feel uncomfortable. There's no need for you to explain yourself to a stranger like me."

A semi-nostalgic smile tugged up the corner of his lips as Dazai studied the immortal briefly. Something about the man's mere presence made him unconsciously let his guard down, something that equally reassured and terrified him at the same time. And while he managed to shove away the feeling for the most part, he couldn't keep from commenting on the familiarity in the feeling and complacent gaze that met him as he chuckled, "You're quite the mysterious one, Tuck-san. Reminds me a little of an old friend."

"Oh?" Tuck blushed self-consciously as he ran a hand through his hair, "That's quite the compliment. I'm honored to even be compared to someone you hold in that regard, Dazai-kun."

A brief silence descended on them, not so much suffocating as a moment for their thoughts to gather. It didn't bother Dazai. No, what did was how true his comment grew with each second of quiet contemplation. While not exactly like Odasaku, Tuck held many of the qualities that paralleled with the now departed man. Like his nonjudgmental expression that, while containing blips of concern toward Dazai, respected him enough to not pry without permission. And even as a piece of him vehemently rejected him as anything remotely near the possibility of a replacement (the word itself rolling vilely from his thoughts) for Odasaku, he couldn't escape the tug Tuck's presence had on him.

Almost as if his soul gravitated toward the man like a flower to sunlight.

"Say, Dazai-kun," Tuck broke the quiet at last, prompting Dazai to look up at him as his expression grew into a solemn smile. Slowly he pulled his attention from the sky to the bandaged man, speaking in words that seemed to resound like the echoes of church bells in the crisp air, "Would you like to know how your wish may be granted?"

* * *

And now we're approaching the halfway point of this 'Introduction Arc' of sorts. Hopefully everyone won't go insane with how slow things are progressing to actual storyline. Fret not though, if you look closely that trickle is steadily building and soon enough things will get fairly hectic. Until then, thank you for your patience with my horridly slow progression.

 _ArtisticStrayCat_ : Haha yes, I will say that I adore writing for Jay. Ari and Tuck are nice, but I like my sarcastic blind kid as you will learn more about alongside the others in the not-so-distant future c; Hmm...do they want to leave Yokohama though? It seems to me that their motives are a bit conflicted, huh? Will just have to wait and see where that leads them.  
And thank you despite how cringey I get whenever I look back on the title. The Puppeteer is actually a combo of a few villains, one making a small appearance in Psycho Path and the other, ironically enough, in an old Scooby Doo episode that thoroughly creeped me out as a kid (thus inspiring some of his stalker-scary personality traits). At any rate, thank you for your lovely comment and continued interest It means a ton

Hope everyone has a splendid weekend~


	12. Quarantine

**Ch. 12 - Quarantine**

" _We are only as blind as we want to be."  
\- _Maya Angelou

Darkness was his ally. It had been for over half his life now. It was his constant companion, well whenever he wasn't using his ability. In that case, it became his bane: a world that insisted on mocking him. A world he refused to let hinder and hold him back.

Just because he was blind, didn't mean he was some helpless kitten. And he'd be damned to let anyone think less of him simply because of the handicap – case in point the waves of sympathy radiating off the woman sitting across from him.

Jay bristled; tongue ready to heap scathing remarks on the woman when a firm hand gripped his shoulder, giving a warning squeeze that deterred from the scene he was poised to make. Icy blue eyes snapped leftwards where a somewhat tired sigh left his companion's lips.

"You're quite the little raincloud today, aren't you? Don't you think three times is enough for one day?" Yosano inquired, a speck of irritation in her voice not going unnoticed by the young teen.

Shrugging off her hand, he huffed, "If you're so annoyed, then you should have thought better when you dragged me along on this pointless task."

Without needing his ability, he felt the resident-doctor frown in disappointment, emotion only fueling his sour attitude that failed to improve as the day went on. So far his time with the Detective Agency proved interesting; especially considering it provided some exposure to other ability users like himself, Ari, and Tuck. He felt it good to meet with others like them and grew to enjoy their presence even if it was hesitantly. After all, they were leaving the moment the opportunity presented itself. At least, that was the plan.

It turned out paying back a debt was no easy task, something Jay fully expected in contrast to Ari's continued disbelief and aghast the previous morning upon realizing just how much their tab amounted to. What did she think it'd come out to when inviting the _entire_ Agency to a free-for-all? Regardless, the red head portrayed little regret for the action. Instead, it appeared to motivate her further by prompting her and Dazai up and out on their task before Jay even had the chance to walk through the doors.

Whatever mission they were assigned to, he envied greatly. Because after all his time living in a world of black, he should have known better than to think this group was above the one thing he detested the most: pity. Sure, he felt it during their first encounter, but that morning it was as if they all just realized he was blind, and surmised lunatic conclusions that he was a helpless child in need of an escort wherever he traveled. To make matters worse, he barely slept the night before – lingering feelings of isolation from Tuck and Ari grating more uncomfortable than usual, and leading him to use his ability to sense their presence for half the night. While it provided some much needed relief, keeping his ability activated so long took a toll on his stamina, and he felt as if he hadn't slept in days.

Which, as one can imagine, only made him the sunniest of people to be around – especially when forced to join Yosano on a supply run for the Agency.

It made absolutely no sense. Jay ventured into the office once before and they had plenty of meds and other items. Not to mention the doctor's ability pretty much handled most cases that came through the doors. So why the pointless running around? The only thing he could come up with was that they didn't want the poor blind kid wandering off and potentially making a fool of the organization.

Thus the only one to blame for the radiating irritation coming from Yosano's form was the doctor herself for dragging him along on the pointless quest that failed to improve after so many pedestrians kept looking at him as if he were some helpless infant. Jay scowled, clenching his fist. He'd show them just how 'helpless' he was.

"It _isn't_ pointless," Yosano corrected flatly, "We deal with individuals holding supernatural abilities that may theoretically level cities at will while subduing gun fights in between for good measure. There is nothing wrong with trying to be prepared."

"Except when you are _already_ stocked up," Jay growled, "There is something called 'too cautious', you know. People generally define it as paranoia. Surprising, never thought you lot would be the paranoid type. Guess there's more to a person than mere appearances. Who'd have ever guessed?"

"Are you finished?" Yosano's sigh was not without ire as she added sternly, "I didn't bring you along to scare away crowds with that foul attitude of yours."

"Oh? Then enlighten me. Why _did_ you bring me? It can't be that you are unable to read labels? Well then guess I'll just have to help. Oh, but wait…I can't either can I? Guess we're both out of luck then," Jay sneered bitterly.

"Brat," Yosano scowled, form shaking with enough effort in holding back from slapping the teen that he felt the cushion beneath him tremble. A piece of him egged her to go ahead and try, but ultimately, after a heavy exhale, the doctor relented and growled, "I brought you because Tuck-san said you have some _medical_ skills – something I thought may prove _useful_ should there be a ton of injuries seeing as I can only work on one person at a time. Oh, but wait…I guess you're too thickheaded to realize obvious matters like that. Guess I'll have to dumb it down a little."

Jay's brow twitched at her retort, yet she continued levelly before he could bite back, "Honestly… How do Tuck-san and Aria put up with this? And here I thought I finally found someone competent enough to actually provide some useful insight on a supply run."

The teen gave a bitter huff yet remained quiet. He reasoned she wasn't completely out of bounds, but the jabs were not without consequence to his ego. Sure, he did hold the most medical knowledge out of the trio, but it was hardly a point of pride. The skill was born out of a forced grounding: a product of Ari and Tuck's concern during the initial years of their travels whenever trouble came along, which it tended to do so frequently. And while he wasn't necessarily ungrateful for the skill that save him and the other two more often than not, it kept him sidelined – something he absolutely detested. Being able to heal others was one thing, but Jay preferred the frontlines to any sterile clinic.

And unfortunately for Yosano, this felt _exactly_ like it had when Ari and Tuck first confined him. It took months to convince them to let him join their expeditions, and even then he snuck out most of the time. Either way, he loathed the idea of starting all over with the new group that initially showed so much potential in the area only to fall flat on their faces.

Jay scowled. A part of him could care less what the group thought of him, yet his pride raged that he'd show them that he was just as, if not more, capable than the best of the agents. To prove that just because he was blind didn't mean he couldn't fight. That he could do more than sit around like useless garbage. That his potential lied in combat over gathering needless medical supplies and taking the temperature of non-feverish worrywarts.

He found himself so caught up in his inward vows that he failed to notice they'd long since abandoned the train of staring pedestrians and pitying eyes. Indeed, it wasn't until a pungent stench filtered through his nose and clogged his airway that Jay broke from his thoughts to scowl, "What kind of pharmacy did you take us to? A rundown drug lab?"

"So, he finally speaks. Glad to see you made it back to reality, Mr. Brooding," Yosano quipped, the sound of a cap twisting back onto some glass container echoing faintly within the quiet murmur. From what he could tell, the place was moderately packed, indicating that it must've at least served some purpose worthwhile in the area.

"And for your information," the young doctor continued with traces of a scowl in her voice, "Suzume-san's shop is better stocked than most hospitals in the area."

Jay huffed, "Oh really? Could've fooled me. Guess they couldn't bother keeping fresh product in stock," he grimaced, covering his nose with a disgusted glance leftwards where the stench was more prevalent, "What kind of pharmacy even allows a drug to go so bad it smells like rotten eggs mixed with barf?"

"If the only thing you're going to do is complain, then just wait outside-" Yosano suddenly cut off, breathing in a bit harshly as Jay shifted at the realization he knew she was experiencing. Yet something about it struck odd, and when he allowed his ability to activate, he noted spikes of unease flash in her colored form as she murmured, "This smell…it can't be…"

He frowned, previous arrogance unsettled by her reaction and, upon glancing at the source, how the faint orange-brown aura contrasted greatly with the other products in the store. Indeed, it was the _only_ one to emit such – not even the other similar vials showing the same color, which only deepened Jay's frown. For such a thing to happen, it could only mean one thing: that wasn't the medicine on that shelf. And by the rancid scent and juxtaposing aura it gave off…

His jaw clenched where his deductions took him, and he reached out to tug Yosano's sleeve, "That vial over there, I think it's-"

Before he had the chance to finish, a figure bumped into the shelf with enough force to dislodge a couple of containers from it – the ominous orange-brown one, unfortunately, among them. Jay felt his heart leap to his throat; tension seemingly transferred to Yosano whose form stiffened milliseconds prior to the glass vials shattering on the floor and eliciting a few startled yelps from those inside.

Jay tensed, watching with shallow breaths as the brown substance began filling the area slowly – heart pounding as it mingled and tainted the auras of those closest to it. Bristling in shock, his grip on Yosano's sleeve tightened to the point the doctor winced as his nails pricked her skin, "Jay? What is it?"

From the other side of the store, he heard rushed footsteps accompanied by a concerned voice that neared the three figures closest to the broken glass, each aura holding a certain degree of unease reflected by approaching one, "Is everyone alright?"

Murmurs of confirmation sounded distantly alongside Yosano's repeated questions as Jay felt her pull at his arm in effort to gain his attention. However, the sight of the disquieting gas beginning to disperse through the room kept his focus. Despite the minute relief in it disappearing, a larger weight turned his stomach at the implications should it truly fulfill his fears.

"Hey," Yosano addressed him more sternly, forcing his face toward her with a sturdy pair of hands sandwiching his head, "Earth to Jay: What's with you? You're acting like a bomb just went off. Don't tell me you're afraid of loud noises."

He deftly swatted her hands away, scowling, "Scared? Of a little glass breaking? Please. As if that could possibly scare me."

"Huh," she huffed, crossing her arms as her aura swayed sardonically, "Could've fooled me. You looked like a lost child without his parents, but I assume that couldn't possibly mean you were the least bit frightened."

Jay bristled, "Shut up and stop treating me like some kid! I can take care of myself perfectly fine without your damn help or pity."

"Easy there," she responded, holding up a hand, "Who said anything about babying you?"

"You don't need to say anything when your actions scream that you and the rest of the Agency have been tiptoeing around me for the entire day and make crap excuses to why I cannot go on missions I should be performing instead of this stupid errand that serves no purpose whatsoever," Jay seethed.

Oddly enough, Yosano's aura remained relatively calm after his scathing remark – almost surprised as if caught in a secret. It piqued a little of his interest, but was ultimately washed away by the more contagious resentment bubbling up within him. He didn't want to hear excuses, he wanted to be treated normally like Ari and Tuck – even if he knew that they could never be defined as 'normal'; even more so in his case.

He hated being viewed helpless – for feeling that he constantly needed to prove to others that he wasn't someone to be pitied. That there was nothing for anyone to feel sorry for. That he could be counted on to work independently for the collective good. He hated when they felt required to help him; hated feeling like a burden.

But most of all, he hated being blind.

Sure, experiencing the world in a unique way through his other senses was nice, but he missed gazing at the sunsets and their different patterns every evening; admiring the vivacity of nature's beauty; marveling at the stars painting the night sky. His ability allowed for a small view of them, but it wasn't the same – it lacked the very breathtaking detail that made each special and unforgettable. He longed to see the sun set once again, to see his loved ones faces instead of the ever blurring memories seven years long past.

Deflating at the emotional turmoil churning in his mind and heart, Jay exhaled wearily, "Can we just go back already?"

Yosano remained silent for a moment, the colors making up her form shifting in a variety of shades that quickly faded as Jay no longer held the energy to keep his ability activated. It was a great help to his initial transition from the world of sight to his current black abode, but he didn't want to make it a crutch, especially after encountering Dazai's ability. He needed to show others he could take care of himself, and leaning on his ability would do nothing to help his cause.

"Yeah, let me gather a few more things and then we can go," she finally replied, feet shifting on the tiled floor and followed by the sound of a few containers of medication being placed in a basket.

Jay exhaled deeply, finding some solace in the fact that instead of pity the doctor sounded mostly tired like him. At least it meant their journey back wouldn't be as argumentative as before; maybe even peaceful with the quiet between them. It was a stroke of good fortune for the teen, and he held onto the rare blessing.

Who'd have guessed that in the next seconds it would slip from his grip?

"Hey…!" a startled call sliced through the quiet store, instantly raising their nerves once again yet this time keeping them high as the sound of a form hitting the ground louder than usual followed by a panicked yelp rang in Jay's ears.

Swiftly, he activated his ability, noting with horror that it wasn't _a_ form but _three_ bodies that collapsed onto the floor – each aura significantly dimmer than they had been a few minutes ago. An icy chill swept down his spine as he noted their proximity to the broken vials, nearly having forgotten his initial misgivings yet now made painfully aware that they were perhaps more than mere suspicion. Indeed, a ripple of unease swept through the entire building, prompting a few customers to make a run toward the door.

"Stop!" he heard a voice, the one belonging to a smaller woman who stood near the three fallen people, her crimson aura flashing in alarm and urgency, "You cannot leave this area."

"What do you mean?" one of the figures asked in alarm while another added, "Yeah, we're not staying around here. Call an ambulance or whatever, but we're out!"

The pair once more made to reach for the door, but they were quickly blocked by Yosano, who growled, "I believe Suzume-san told you to stay."

Jay blinked. How did she get there so quickly without his notice? Either way he was swift in joining her to block their escape, adding his own sour warning, "If you two idiots don't want to end up on the floor as well, I suggest you stand back."

"Brat…." The first growled, aura flaring threateningly, "Do you honestly think you and this skinny bitch can stop us?"

Jay bristled yet was beaten to the punch, literally, as Yosano suddenly lashed out at the pair, bringing forth yelps of pain from them as she methodically twisted their wrists to the point he could hear faint popping sounds from them, "Oh? Care to rephrase that?"

The men growled yet remained quiet, beginning a short standoff that ended as a fearful cry went up from a woman kneeling beside the three figures, her aura spiking in dread as she stammered, "T-They're not breathing!"

What? Jay snapped his attention toward them, noting with dread how even their auras faded to an all too telling pale grey that made him grimace, "They're dead."

His comment spread panic like wildfire to the remaining customers within, prompting many startled screams and a new wave of those wanting to escape only for Suzume to shout, "Everyone stay where you are!"

Shocked and concern outbursts followed, yet the small storekeeper remained surprisingly firm as she reached over the counter and pressed a button, triggering the doors behind Jay to lock and a dull siren to echo through the room as she finished grimly, "We don't know what happened to these people, but a good guess is that the spill earlier caused this and has leaked a potentially deadly virus into the area. I cannot allow anyone to leave."

Even more startled murmurs rose, and Jay exchanged a glance with Yosano as Suzume concluded, "As of now, we're in quarantine."

…

Since then, an hour passed in which authorities from outside were called to seal off the area, only adding to the sheer stress within that already borderlined cataclysmic as five more people collapsed, including one of the two initial men who attempted to escape earlier. And while a good portion of the occupants, including Suzume, were trained in medical examination, the cause remained frustratingly unknown – further increasing their unease as time appeared to play a factor.

Jay frowned. So far they learned that the source was most likely the vial he noted earlier, Suzume confirming upon glancing at it that it was indeed not one of her medical supplies but something that likely was placed, prompting them to believe this to be some sort of biological attack. From what they gathered, victims sported a purplish rash on the base of their necks and a high fever before falling unconscious. At that point they could only tell based on their distance from the initial spill how long they would last. In a twisted fortune, those closest to the spill already passed away, but that didn't necessarily save the others. Indeed, a small girl breathed sparingly even though she and her anxious mother had been on the other side of the store at the time.

And although they held a good amount of medical supplies, simply pumping everyone with everything provided no solution. They had to figure out the cause and deal with it accordingly, but the ever ticking clock and dull hum of the lock down alarm grated heavily on their nerves.

Time was swiftly running out.

To his left, Jay heard Yosano, Suzume, and a couple of other doctors bounce ideas off one another – none so far having gotten far enough to gain unanimous approval. Meanwhile, he heard the anxious murmurs and faint attempts of reassurance from those still conscious to those more affected by the attack. The disaster, like many others he witnessed, brought them together in a fight to survive, and he wondered if any of them would actually make it out.

Jay clenched his fist, rejecting the idea. He wouldn't die here – he _refused_ to die here. Yet what could he do? Their knowledge was fragmented at best. If only they knew more about what the victims experienced and who placed the vial. From Suzume's testimony it had to have been sometime that day, thus someone must have seen it happen. But who? And if it was one of those unconscious who saw, then their questions would remain unanswered.

Or would they?

His expression sobered as Jay came to the conclusion necessary of the situation, and without a word he rose from where he knelt by one of the more recent victims and crossed the room to where the young girl was cradled in her mother's arm. The woman, noting his approach, spoke up in a hoarse voice, "She's growing weaker. I-I don't know how much longer she will last. _Please_ , tell me you found _something_ …."

Jay frowned, kneeling beside them and placing a hand on the little girl's chest, feeling her faint breaths, "We're working as fast as we can, I promise. Just make sure that her fever remains down, and if something happens call one of the doctors over immediately, okay?"

"O-Okay…" the mother trailed off, confusion littering her tone as Jay closed his eyes, letting his breathing fall into the child's rhythm. Faintly he heard her ask, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, just be quiet for a moment. I'm going to try and find out what is happening with your daughter…" he murmured, finally finding the correct beat and letting his ability tug his consciousness away.

The darkness rushed by him like a fierce gale, tugging at his hair and threatening to cut his skin. Sporadic images and voices filled his mind, each depicting the young girl in a different event and relaying heaviness or lighthearted feeling to the young teen in parallel to the image's emotions. It confounded his senses, yet after a few moments it too suddenly died – replaced by a warm sensation like that of sunlight and gentle chirps of birds in the air. Taking a breath, Jay opened his eyes and was met with a lush meadow full of colorful flowers and vibrant life that took his breath away. Everything held a faint halo of light, as if coming from an entirely different world, and captivated him easily despite not being the first time he gazed at such ethereal beauty, and his heart instantly felt lighter.

While he was unable to experience this in the waking world, here in the realm of the young girl's consciousness he could perceive every shade of the rainbow with striking clarity.

If only he could stay in this place forever….

"Hi, have you come to play here too?" a small voice asked in beat with a hand tugging at his sleeve.

Jay looked down to see a young girl with soft chestnut hair and brilliant amber eyes that shone golden as she gazed up at him innocently. Smiling softly, he knelt down to her level and replied, "Sure thing. But first I need to ask you something, is that alright?"

The little girl nodded, prompting Jay to continue, "Before you came here, did you feel anything bad? Like a tummy ache or feeling really cold?"

She frowned, brows furrowed in contemplation as she raised a hand to her chest, "It felt really heavy here – like when Kai sits on me to keep me still. And I was really cold, even when Oka-san held me really close." The girl shivered, and Jay noted the edges of the meadow begin to wither in response to her unease, "I don't like thinking about it. It's too scary."

"That's alright, you don't need to think about it anymore," Jay reassured, placing his hands on her small shoulders comfortingly, "I just need to ask one more thing, okay?"

"Okay…" she trailed off.

"When you got to the store, did you see anything strange? Like a person putting something on the wrong shelf? Or maybe a bottle that looked funny?"

The girl frowned, ultimately shaking her head, "No. I don't think I saw anything like that. Oka-san told me to wait by the door and read my book, which I was happy with since shopping at this store always makes me sad cause it means Kai isn't feeling well."

"I see," Jay murmured, frustrated that his questions remained unanswered yet pushing it away to smile at the girl and ruffle her hair like Ari used to whenever he got anxious, "Don't worry, I am sure Kai will be alright. You just have to do something for me, okay?"

"What is it?" she tilted her head in curiosity.

"Stay here in this meadow, no matter what. Even if you see or hear someone calling for you, you stay here, got it?"

"Why do I need to stay here?" she asked.

"Because if you leave, then your Oka-san will be very sad, and you don't want that, right?" Jay answered, prompting the girl to shake her head, "Then promise me you'll stay here, and when you wake up we can play together, alright?"

Instantly her eyes brightened as she nodded, "I promise! You seem like a fun person to play with and I don't want to make Oka-san sad, so I'll wait for you here, okay? My name is Li, by the way. What's yours?"

"Jay."

"That's a pretty name for a boy," she giggled, turning toward a patch of flowers in the middle of the meadow, "When you come back, we can make flower crowns and play till bedtime, right Jay-kun?"

"Of course, anything you want," he affirmed warmly, causing her to beam at him.

"Well, I hope you come back soon then!"

"Yeah…" Jay trailed off, feeling the realm suddenly shake as a muffled voice rung in his ears.

Casting a faraway glance into the blue skies, he fought against an urge to stay and play with the little girl and thus forget their current dilemma, but the voice echoing in his head roughly snatched up his arm, pulling him from the warm, colorful world back into the chaotic black. Images of Li sitting by the door humming a playful tune while reading her book faded to a tremendous weight like that of an elephant sitting on his chest and a bone chilling cold assaulted Jay's form, nearly suffocating him before disappearing alongside the remnants of the colorful meadow in the distance.

A gasp left his throat as he took in greedy breaths, hunched over as his lungs burned for air. His mind spun, disoriented from the sudden change of scenery despite not having budged an inch in the entire process. A lingering regret tinged his heart as he opened his eyes to find an endless abyss stare back at him once again.

"Jay?! Thank god," he heard Yosano's alarmed voice alongside the sensation of multiple eyes boring into him as the doctor scolded, "What the hell were you doing? Don't tell me you've come down with whatever this is too."

"No…I'm fine," he breathed, straightening up in efforts to show just that.

"Really? That's hard to believe after what I just saw," she retorted despite a clear worry in her tone.

"Yes, you were barely breathing," the mother spoke up timidly, and he could feel her deep concern coat him like a blanket, "We thought you were affected by this sickness as well."

"I'm fine," Jay reiterated, "Just a little weak. Give me a moment to catch my breath."

"Oh? Then what exactly was that just now?" Yosano questioned, still not fully believing him.

Jay scowled, turning toward the doctor, "My ability. I was talking to Li to see if she knew anything about someone placing the contaminated vial and how she felt before passing out. She didn't seem to know anything about the vial, but she did suggest that Suzume's theory about it affecting their lungs was correct. I think whatever it is we're looking for causes fluid buildup or-"

"Hold on," she interrupted, tone gaining notes of disbelief, "Your _ability_ told you this? I thought you were only able to perceive and manipulate auras, not read minds."

"I _can't_ read minds, genius," Jay retorted, "I jumped into Li's _memories_ and talked to her there."

"Her memories?" Yosano echoed in surprise, quickly followed by the mother's startled question, "Li? You met my daughter?"

"Yeah, that's what I said," he sourly replied, furthering upon her silent question, "Did you really believe we'd tell you guys everything about our abilities? Come on, we're not idiots."

A half-amused huff left her lips as Yosano replied, "I see, so you match your aura to another's to read their memories, right? Quiet the ability."

"It's a real gift," Jay rolled his eyes, "But you're not too far off. The easiest way to do that is by matching breathing rates – hence the almost not breathing bit and why I warned her mom to keep her breathing. Anyways, I was able to confirm what she said was true. So if you're done gawking, then maybe you can start coming up with ideas of who potentially saw what happened and we can finally get out of this hellhole."

"Hold on," one of the doctors spoke up incredulously, "You mean to say you can perceive our memories merely by matching our breathing rates?"

"Yes, Einstein, and if you ask another stupid question I'll tell everyone back at your hospital what you did last month in the emergency wing," Jay snapped as the man gave a few jumbled sounds of indignation and denial yet remained quiet as he continued, "And for the record, I already looked through the memories of everyone who isn't unconscious, so if you don't want your nasty secrets to come to light I suggest not annoying me."

Uneasy murmurs echoed through the room and he could feel some people shoot threatening glances his way. Unperturbed, he met them easily – noting that the most potent of them came from a man whose recent memories outed him as a mafia member. Jay narrowed his eyes. Even if his recollections spared him from suspicion, he didn't allow himself to let his guard down around the trained killer.

A slap on the back of his head shook him from his stare off to grab the area and snap at the offender, "What the hell was that for?"

"That was for not telling me you had such an ability," Yosano replied simply, quickly followed by another painful swat to his head, making the teen protest angrily, "And that was for looking at my memories without permission, you nosey brat."

Jay growled, unable to deny her accusations yet muttering nonetheless, "Whatever. At least my ability is useful in this situation."

"Yeah, shame that there are no physical wounds. That'd just be asking for too much, huh?" Yosano sighed.

"Tell me about it," Jay agreed, coming to a shaky stand that she quickly supported. Before she could say a thing he jerked his head in the direction of the nearest unconscious victim, "Help me over there. If we're going to solve this thing, I need to see everyone's memories."

"You sure? You look a bit out of breath still," Yosano voiced some concern.

"I'll be a lot more out of breath if we don't solve this," Jay argued, "Now take me over there and make sure that mafia goon doesn't try anything funny."

"Mafia?" Yosano's grip tensed on his arm and he heard the man curse under his breath as they finally stopped in front of him and his fallen partner.

"Yes, and no they didn't plant it either. I just need to see if the symptoms match up," Jay stated before any accusations could be made, sitting down and placing a hand on the man's chest. His breathing was much steadier than the girl's, but still low enough that he had to take caution.

On his left, he heard his companion growl, "Brat, if you try anything I swear we'll-"

"What? Kill him? Mighty bold threat from a Port Mafia dog," Yosano interrupted darkly, "Are you sure you want to go through with that?"

"Bitch…" he growled, electrifying the air as their common resentment for one another suffocated Jay's lungs to the point he snapped sternly, "Would you two idiots cut it out? You can kill each other later, so stop glaring and make yourself useful. You," he jabbed in the direction of the man, "Make sure your buddy stays alive. And you," he motioned toward Yosano, "Grab one of each drug you can find. We'll eliminate them as I get more information."

"Everyone clear?" he growled, not waiting for a response as he continued, "Good, then be quiet and let me-"

"Oi…" the mafia member suddenly stated, cutting Jay's off and only throwing fuel into his annoyance, but before he could knock his aura out of place, he continued ominously, "You…Your neck…"

"Eh?" Yosano's voice was laced with suspicion and mild confusion.

"He's right!" another voice spoke up close by, "There's a bruise on your neck, just like the others."

"What?" Jay tensed, snapping his alarmed gaze toward the doctor and activating his ability. His stomach dropped how Yosano's aura wavered in signs of a fever and a dark cloud centered on her chest in indication of discomfort. His fist clenched as he growled, "Idiot, what were you thinking? How long have you been feverish?!"

A small bitter chuckle left her lips as Yosano slumped against a shelf, "Looks like there's no hiding it now, although I'm a bit disappointed you didn't notice until now. Not quite as sharp as you come across, huh?"

Jay scowled, nerves spiking as he realized just how bad her condition was. She had minutes, if not seconds before she'd pass out. "Why didn't you say anything?" he seethed.

"That's quite the loaded question coming from you," she shot back, adding with a heavy breath, "Just calm down already, would you? I'm going to tell you everything I'm experiencing now, so you better not waste my effort and I better not see you walking around in my head."

"Fine, but you better not croak on me," he growled, turning away as she chuckled weakly.

His breaths came out short and he felt his energy waning. Soon he wouldn't be able to jump into the memories of others, and he'd be stuck in his detestable dark world with nothing but his natural senses and information he gathered to help. Sure, he wasn't completely helpless without his ability, but if it came down to only him he'd be useless since none of the bottles contained any brail for him to read.

Jay clenched his jaw.

Darkness was his ally, but right now it may just cost him the lives of everyone.

* * *

So sorry for the delayed update. Life's been crazy and I've barely had enough time to sit down and write for this series. Hopefully the longer than usual chapter will make up for some of it. Although I can't say that next week's chapter will be on time either, so I apologize in advance.

In regards to the chapter, I must say that writing for Ari is fun but Jay's character may actually trump Ari in my eyes. I don't know just something about his sarcasm and character resonates, not to mention he's based off of one of my favorite characters in one of my favorite series growing up. Either way, Jay and Tuck's POV will pop up every now and then in the series for their take on events or when it proves better than using Ari's, which will be the main POV of the trio throughout the series. But if you all enjoy Jay or Tuck, who will pop up fairly soon, and their views then I may add a little more c;

Anyways, hope everyone is doing well and will ideally catch up next week. Until then, if you live in the unrelenting heat of Florida like me, stay hydrated. For everyone else, hope you're having a good summer and splendid weekend~


	13. Bedside Manner

**Ch. 13 - Bedside Manner**

" _Courage was not the absence of fear, but the ability to walk into unknown territory despite it."  
\- _Samantha Young

Ragged breaths and clanging of glass containers against each other in sporadic motions echoed unnervingly in the black. His chest felt tight, and his heart screamed for release from his ribcage as the very hairs on his scalp and arms bristled in testimony to his nerves. Despite everything logical telling him to breathe and calm down, to think his way through the dilemma, Jay found the overwhelming panic in his veins indomitable.

Not only was time running out, with Yosano and the great majority of the occupants of the store unconscious leaving only himself, the mafioso, and a barely conscious store clerk, but he'd exhausted himself from desperately searching the memories of everyone only to come up with a somewhat less vague idea of what exactly they were poisoned with.

And with time running thin, he cursed his black world more than ever.

"Dammit!" Jay hissed, throwing the container in his hands, the sound of it shattering on the ground ringing distantly in his ears as he snapped, "Bring me the penicillin!"

"You mean the one you just smashed all over the floor or a more intact one?" came a snarky reply shortly followed by a shuffling of feet and mutter, "Geez, why do I have to take orders from a cranky brat?"

Jay growled, shooting a glare in the direction of the steps. Upon his ability fading and thus restricting him from identifying the drugs within the store via their auras, he grudgingly enlisted the help of one of the only remaining occupants in the store: the Port Mafia goon he called out earlier. Even without knowing the full extent of the organization's relationship with the Agency, Jay could tell simply by the man's attitude why things weren't exactly smooth. Be that as it may, beggars couldn't be choosers and he bit his tongue. Although, he found it increasingly difficult to put up with his muttered complaints and sarcastic comments, especially as he felt the beginnings of a fever lick at his forehead while his chest began to ache.

The blind teen grimaced. It wouldn't be long until the disease caught him, and, by what he recalled of the mafia member's aura, his helper as well. They were running out of time.

"Because unless you know how to properly diagnose and inject someone or are a professional doctor, then this 'cranky brat' is your only hope of surviving to see the next moldy alley in this damn city," Jay snapped irately.

The man huffed, "Please, don't flatter yourself. The Boss would've figured this out in seconds; meanwhile you're here barely able to sit up right. And," he added indignantly, "I know perfectly well how to inject someone the right way."

"Oh goody," Jay rolled his eyes, "Shame your boss isn't here to give you the award for 'Most Useless Commentary Ever'. I'm sure he's going to be disappointed that he couldn't hand it out because you died spouting nonsense when you could, I don't know, pick up the pace and get me the damn penicillin already."

"Brat," he grumbled, followed by a slight hush in the air and pat on Jay's palm as he easily caught the container and placed it beside four others in front of him. He felt the mafioso's annoyance permeate the room as he continued, "If you're so confident, then fix this already."

"Of course, if only you'd shut up and let me think clearly so I don't add to the poison already in everyone's system," Jay retorted sourly.

"What's there to think? Surely you must've found _something_ when you looked into all our memories," he shot back, making the teen frown.

While he managed to scour all the unconscious persons' memories from the past few hours and collect a sizeable amount of information, the culprit and true formula of the poison remained a mystery – one he held a haunting suspicion rested in the minds of those already passed. Jay grimaced, motion not going unnoticed by the man who stopped in front of him and pinned him with a questioning stare.

"You did find out the cause, right?"

"Tch," Jay averted his gaze, glaring into the darkness as he grudgingly admitted, "I never said I found the _cure_ , just more of the symptoms to clarify things. The answer is probably within the memories of one of the people who died."

"So? Then get to it!" the mafioso barked, snatching up his arm in efforts to guide him to the first person.

"Hands off," Jay snapped, tugging his arm from the man's grip.

"What the hell's wrong with you? I know you look like shit now, but muster up some energy and finish this damn thing," he shouted, panic noticeable within his outburst.

"Shut up! You don't know a damn thing about me or my ability!" Jay snarled, fury pulsating off his small form as he stood up to the mafia member unabashedly.

"What? Is the little brat scared? Or maybe too weak to handle adult things?" the mafia member growled, "Like I thought. All bark and no bite."

Jay bristled, "Says the useless one who can barely manage a simple delivery job. And for your information, I'm not scared or too weak to peer into those people's memories."

"Oh? Then do please enlighten me," the mafioso sneered.

"Because in order to read their memories, I need to match their _breathing_. Kinda hard to do when the person's _dead_ ," Jay retorted, "Seriously, what kind of recruitment system does Port Mafia have? Hire whatever moron they find in the street?"

"Careful what you say there brat…." The Port Mafia member seethed, and he could hear his knuckles begin to pop in indication of him clenching his fists, "You don't have your doctor friend to protect you anymore."

"Like I actually needed her protection in the first place," Jay shot back heatedly, completely forgetting about the task at hand as he taunted at the man's stillness, "What? Aren't you going to teach me a lesson? Or are you too afraid of losing to a blind brat?"

A rush of air whooshed by his left ear milliseconds after Jay shifted to dodged the attack. At its ferocity and strength, his eyes narrowed. Buffon or not, the guy held some serious strength – enough to knock him out if he wasn't careful. And despite a small piece of him ridiculing their mal timed brawl, the overflowing adrenaline and will to prove himself kept his focus on the man as he continued to dodge haphazard strikes and, after a moment, lash out with a blow to the man's chest that sent him gasping for breath.

"What's wrong? I thought Port Mafia goons were tougher than this," Jay sneered, "Please, you're no better than some-"

He cut off as he felt the scarf around his neck suddenly constrict like a deadly snake and force him within inches of rancid breath that hissed poisonously, "Bastard. I'd kill you right now if it wasn't for…"

In an instant, near every ounce of malice radiating off the man evaporated – replaced with a deep sense of astonishment that mercifully stopped his foul breath from flowing over Jay's scrunched face as he clawed at his scarf and his remaining grip to relieve some pressure from his neck. Whether it was from his actions or the growing shock pulsing from the man, a small gasp finally left the teen's lips as he freed himself at last.

Snatching back the remainder of his scarf still hanging in the man's hand, Jay croaked irately, "Wasn't for what? Your inability to actually follow through on your threats? Please. How can anyone be afraid of hypocritical softies like y-"

"Your neck," the mafioso interrupted hollowly as a faint heat from his hand hovering over the area brushed Jay's senses that quickly tensed both from the proximity and where he was going, "There's a rash…"

No way. Jay grit his teeth, summoning a small piece of his energy to activate his ability. A tiny blipper of color graced his world but was quickly fading to his dismay. Nevertheless, it provided enough time to glimpse his aura – usual vibrant blue and yellow now a dull grey and sickly yellow-brown.

Jay's heart skipped a beat. His body was on the verge of giving in. As if in response to his recognition, he felt a wave of nausea and lightheadedness briefly overtake him, forcing him to reach out to a nearby shelf and support himself as the mafia member called out with a trace of concern, "H-Hey!"

How could he have missed it? He of all people should've been aware of his condition. Jay grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes scathingly at nothing. Time was all but up, and he still held no definite cure to the poison that took hold of his system. Only presumptions remained alongside a pulsating pain coming from his chest…

No. The teen tensed, mind going taut like a bow string at the thought. Not his chest, but his upper abdomen.

Without warning, he lunged toward the remaining bottles, practically tripping over himself and bringing about a worried shout from the man, "Hey! What are you-?"

Not wasting any time, Jay pulled out a few vials he sought, popping off the caps and breathing in their familiar scent to confirm its identity before mixing them together in a mortar. When the unmistakable smell of the combination met his senses, he snatched one of the syringes beside him and hastily peeled away the plastic wrapping.

Turning, he briefly grabbed at air before connecting with the mafioso's jacket and fiercely tugging him over, instructing urgently while shoving the items in his hands and raising his forefinger a half-inch above his thumb, "Pull out about this much and inject me!"

"W-What?!" he stammered, form fidgeting uneasily.

"Just do it! You said you had some medical experience, right?" Jay snapped, forcing down his shirt collar to expose where he believed the rash to be, "If I'm right, then this should cure everyone."

"And if you're not?" the man challenged dubiously, doubt nearly suffocating the teen who grimaced in response.

"We're dead either way," Jay concluded grimly, leaning his head away to expose more of his skin to the man who, after a brief moment of hesitation, gave a breath and did as instructed.

As he approached with the needle, Jay's heartbeat pounded in his chest. If he was wrong, then he was sending himself to a much more painful death than the others. No. He scowled, partially baring his teeth as he felt the syringe's point prick his skin. A sensation of pressure building alongside a sharpening pain filled the area.

The concoction flowed thickly through his veins, making the teen wince as the mafia member finally pulled away. Tension began fraying the air in the room as they awaited the results – Jay attempting to steady his shaky breaths as he felt the medicine slowly spread to his entire form that began to lean more heavily onto the shelf for support.

He had to be right. Everything fit. No matter what, he had to save these people.

And, hopefully, himself.

…

"Ah! She looks like she's waking up," a soft voice echoed in the fading darkness as the young woman suppressed a groan at her aching body.

Where was she? What happened?

"Yosano-san, can you hear me?" another voice prompted on the other side, "Yosano-san?"

Prying open her eyes, the named blinked a few times to adjust to the bright light and two silhouettes partially blocking it. All the while, memories of her excursion with Jay, the attack, and her succumbing to the poison floated back to the surface of her mind. Obviously they made it through, and while she felt a little better than the last time she was awake, breathing still grated uncomfortably on her lungs – as if the air was a little too thick.

Noting her discomfort, the head to her left, which quickly clarified to reveal Kenji, asked in concern, "Are you feeling alright, Doctor? You look like you're hurting still."

To his right, Atsushi agreed with sparks of uncertainty in his eyes, "Yeah, but I'm glad you are finally awake Yosano-san."

Indeed, relief swam through their eyes as Yosano gave a halfhearted smile, her throat feeling drier than a desert as she croaked, "It takes more than that to kill me."

The pair smiled, Kenji reaching back to grab a glass of water placed on the table beside her bed as Yosano took the opportunity to scan her surroundings. Familiar beds, walls, and furniture told she somehow returned to the Agency. However, the lack of another in either bed beside her made her heart jump uneasily. Where was…?

"Took you long enough," a sullen growl sounded at the foot of her bed, drawing her attention to the icy eyes of Jay as he scowled back, "And you call yourself a doctor? You should be ashamed with how long it took you to recover."

The teen sported a few bandages and bruises – his hair much less tidy than earlier and mostly sticking out from his ponytail, while his skin was a few shades paler than before in testimony to his own battle with the toxin – yet his voice was clear and strong alongside the note of irritation in his features as he held onto a clipboard at the end of her bed. Seeing how his grip relaxed minutely in relief, Yosano sighed and smiled softly at Jay. Despite his harsh words and attempt to appear unbothered, he truly worried about her. The little brat.

"Your bedside manner sucks," she shot back, taking the glass Kenji offered and letting the refreshing water sooth her parched throat.

Jay scoffed, "I saved your life. Bedside manner can rot in hell for all I care. Besides, you weren't the one who wasted three hours trying to explain to some dense police officer what all happened. Those idiots might as well have stayed home for all the 'help' they were."

"Right?" Ranpo spoke up, head peeping out from behind one of the curtains as he gave a small wave to Yosano, "You were lucky that I figured out the culprit who planted the virus and got a real antidote or you all would be in the hospital for a week."

"Please, mine worked just fine," Jay rebutted.

"Maybe for the first few minutes. As I recall, you were in a lot of pain before I showed up with the _real_ cure," Ranpo argued, causing the teen to glare at him.

"Whatever," Jay growled, turning his attention back to the other three in the room, "All that matters is that everyone got out safely. Well, aside from the first three victims."

"Based on their proximity to the initial release, it's no surprise. The odds of their survival were low from the start," Ranpo explained, softening the guilt resting on the teen and doctor a little as he went on to explain his end of the day's events.

Apparently the attack was in retribution to one of the initial victims in the store by a grudging coworker who had a knack for poisons. All in all, Kunikida and Kenji managed to apprehend the man while Tuck and Ranpo rushed to where Jay and Yosano were.

What a day. Who would've thought she'd end up in her own clinic? Saved by a snarky teen at that? Either way, she couldn't help the smile that tugged up her lips as Yosano exhaled and chuckled briefly, drawing the attention of those around her.

Meeting Jay's eyes, she smirked, "Congratulations Jay. You pass."

The teen tilted his head, "Are you still loopy from the drugs?"

"No, idiot," Ranpo sighed, drawing a scowl from the teen as he continued, "She's perfectly fine. Well, aside from a few lingering side effects of the medicine we gave. But that's inconsequential. Back to the point, she means you passed the entrance exam."

"Entrance exam?" Jay's annoyance melted to confusion as he quirked a brow.

"Yes. While it wasn't exactly how I planned for it to pan out, you showed great skill in helping everyone in the store – including strangers and members of Port Mafia without any bias," Yosano explained, adding with a note of amusement, "I figured that you performed well enough in the unexpected to qualify for a passing grade despite that nasty temper and pitiful bedside manner you have. Either way, the Agency would be lucky to have you."

"Oh? You say that like I'm actually going to agree and work here after Ari's debt is paid off," Jay raised a brow, causing Kenji's and Atsushi's smiles to waver. Nevertheless, after a brief stare off with the doctor, he sighed, a small smirk tugging up the corner of his mouth, "Although, maybe that isn't such a bad idea. You lot are pretty entertaining, not to mention are pitifully understaffed when it comes to your medical department."

"Oh? I thought you detested the idea of working with me," Yosano responded with a grin, "You sure you can even handle working here?"

"Please, I saved you didn't I?" Jay shot back lightly.

"So does that mean you're joining the Agency, Jay?" Atsushi inquired.

The teen shrugged, "I don't see any problems in joining for now. Of course I'll have to talk to Ari and Tuck about anything involving long-term employment."

Atsushi and Kenji nodded in agreement, while Yosano took the opportunity to add, "Speaking of the two, do us a favor and keep quiet about the examinations. It won't be much of a test if they know in advance it's already happening."

"Sure," Jay easily complied, gaze gaining notes of superiority as he deduced he was the first of the trio to pass, "You know, you lot aren't nearly as stuck up as I first thought after looking through your memories."

"Eh?" Atsushi blinked followed by Kenji echoing, "Our memories?"

Yosano's smile twitched as she growled, "You mean to say you spied on our memories from the start you cheeky brat?"

The others in the room stiffened alongside a few agents in the hallway that peered in upon finding the doctor had returned to consciousness. Their aghast quickly turned to small, insulted outbursts as Jay commented plainly, "Calm down. You've got nothing to worry about. Honestly, most of your pasts were extremely dull in my opinion, so no need to stress about anything of the sort."

A few agents huffed and stomped away from his blunt words, muttering that he was some arrogant child who didn't know what he was talking about. For the most part, Jay ignored them as Ranpo objected, "Dull? You must have no sense of anything if you think _my_ past was dull."

"Oh? You mean to say that wallowing around in boredom between cases is exciting?" Jay mused, a small smirk lighting up his features at the detective's annoyance, "I suppose it's better than watching some old soap opera every night like that one clerk."

"You mean Akko?" Ranpo inquired, a speck of interest popping into his gaze, "Please, that's nothing compared to what her brother does in his spare time."

Intrigue sparked in Jay's form as the two began discussing the private lives of the other agents without concern as Atsushi and a few others chagrinned, almost unwilling to intervene lest they turn on them and dissect every part of their life. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea for Jay to stick around and thus rouse Ranpo's more indelicate social qualities. For her part, Yosano merely shook her head. Sure she was glad the young detective had someone to bounce ideas off of and get along with, but she too felt the price of such on their nerves may end up sending more patients to her ward.

Fortunately, before they had time to delve too deeply into the clerk's personality and impulses, a figure burst through the door and swiftly grabbed Jay's shoulders, spinning him around while gasping, "Jay! Are you alright?! I just heard what happened at the pharmacy. You're not hurt, right?"

"I'm fine, Ari. Or, rather I would be if I could breathe," Jay scrunched up his nose, tugging himself from the woman's grip to grimace, "What the hell have you been doing? You smell worse than a rotting pile of manure."

Indeed, the occupants of the room quickly joined the teen's distaste as a foul odor filled the air and only grew as Dazai entered behind the red-head – who, after a better look, appeared more brown and green than anything alongside her companion. While Dazai retained a few specks of cleanliness, Ari failed to show any spot void of grim on her skin and clothes. Fortunately for them, they appeared nose-blind to their stench. Unfortunately for the rest, it only grew to the point Yosano nearly coughed while Atsushi's eyes began watering as he mirrored Jay and backed away from the pair.

"How rude, Jay-kun. And after all the effort we took to race here," Dazai spoke in mock hurt, "I'm sure Aria-chan doesn't smell _that_ horrendous," he paused, sniffing the woman's head before his expression churned with distaste, "On second thought, maybe he's right. You do stink, Aria-chan."

"Ass," the woman elbowed him in the gut, "You're the one who suggested we look in the sewers in the first place."

"What a job," Jay commented sardonically, breathing in fleetingly as he pushed the pair to the doorway, "At any rate, go take a shower. Or three."

"Jerk," Ari grumbled despite relief still shining in her eyes as she added passingly, "At least you had to have had a better day than us, right? Or at least more interesting I hope."

Jay exchanged glances with Yosano briefly before shrugging, "Eh, it was a bit mediocre in my opinion."

.

.

.

 ** _Extra: Messy Situation_**

Just when she thought things couldn't get any lower, they did. Everything she seemed to think certain turned on its head in this blasted city. All the more reason to leave…and, ideally, take a shower to wash off all this filth.

A speck of grime she didn't want to know its source splattered on Ari's cheek as she tore through the sewers of Yokahama. Yes, _sewers_.Apparently she must still land on the bad side of whoever assigns missions, or her already crappy luck grew worse than she thought possible. Again, Yokohama seemed to have that annoying effect. In addition to imbuing its citizens with crazy notions.

Like finding some award winning rat that escaped into the sewers.

Yeah. _Just_ her luck.

Still, a light at the end of the tunnel appeared as she and Dazai _finally_ found the rat. Or at least one that looked very much like it. Either case, it seemed neither particularly cared so long as it ended. Yet another weird effect of this city: for once they were on the exact same terms.

If only the same luck could apply to their efficiency in catching the damnable rodent.

Unfortunately, that was the one certainty Yokohama could afford as just when Ari reached to snatch up the rat, a particularly slimy piece of muck met her ruined shoes. And you can only guess where that led, as Ari's determined expression changed into one of an unaware person entering into a surprise party. Only, the surprise in this case was far messier and disgusting.

And not even a saving grace of her ability bracing her fall came as Dazai too tumbled on the slick substance and collided directly with the red head, sending both face first into the grime filling the sewers. Or, rather, Ari did as the bandaged man landed directly on top of her, pressing her completely into the filth from head to toe.

"Ugh…" Ari raised her head, face covered in a gracious amount of green-brown slime that sent bile in her throat and made her nose burn. She nearly couldn't breathe – partially from the foul odor, but mostly from the form pressing her deeper into the thicker than usual muck.

A groan resounded in her ears as Dazai's form shifted unsteadily, weakly attempting to get off yet only accomplishing a minute amount as his hands pressed on the ground on either side of her, "This is why I detest anything involving rats. Always makes for rather slippery situations."

"Get…off," Ari growled, trying to no avail to push him off. Her hands gained no traction in the filth, and her anger and annoyance in the man only grew as he chuckled.

"Don't worry Aria-chan. While our clumsiness had its downfalls, it did accomplish one good thing," he stated, pulling up his hand to reveal a grimy tail attached to an even filthier rat that squealed in panic only inches from her face, "Pretty good catch, if I do say so myself."

Thankfully, he managed to shift off of her and inspect the creature with much cleaner features, courtesy of Ari buffering his fall to her gross irritation. Nevertheless, despite the smile on his face, a noticeable disgust ran through his red-brown eyes as Dazai grimaced, "Rats truly are such vile creatures. Who'd have thought anyone would actually care enough to hire professionals to find such a disgusting rodent?"

"Who cares," Ari grumbled, turning over to sit (not like she could get any filthier anyways) and wipe away some of the grime coating her disgruntled face, flicking her hands to dislodge the unspeakable substance.

"Oh?" Dazai mused, tilting his head innocent-like as he took in her form. A small frown lit his features as he pointed with the hand holding the rat, "Ah, you seem to have something on your face, Aria-chan-"

"Bastard!" Ari seethed at his comment, throwing a ball of gunk directly at his face and hitting the mark. And while it pleased her greatly to see his disgusted reaction, the action also caused some unexpected consequences in the rat dropping from his grip and disappearing down the rancid tunnels once more.

"Aww, and right when I thought we were done," Dazai moaned, a smug smirk lighting his features as Ari stared in disbelief momentarily before chasing after the rodent and throwing crass insults its way.

For such an upside-down city, Yokohama was a very interesting place to be.

* * *

My goodness, I am SO sorry for the super delayed response and horrible timing as I just said I'd be better at it. Please forgive me. Life happened and a lot of unexpected surprises graced my life recently making this chapter a little difficult to write but hopefully the extra surprise will make up for things c;

At any rate, Jay manages to pass the Entrance Exam, something that, after a little thought, led me to believe that just because someone passes such doesn't mean they _have_ to join the Agency (look at Atsushi, even though Dazai kinda blackmailed him into joining in the end) thus I felt it fit well with the trio. Either way, here ends Jay's little intro section. I may write more with him because as I said he is my favorite, but for now he gets to take a backseat with Ari.

Next up, Tuck. And hopefully will be near on time (most likely not with school starting up again tomorrow but should ideally be out by mid September at the lastest).

Hope everyone had a splendid week and good start to school if you're still there like me.


	14. The Detective and the Immortal

" _Whoever said "What you don't know can't hurt you" was an idiot. Not knowing is the worst feeling in the world."  
\- _M.M.

Of all the inventions of mankind thus far, if he had to pick one favorite it'd have to be the railroad. Indeed, the dawn of it brought about new potential and revolutionized society in its capacity to transport goods, people, and stories farther and faster than ever before. Sure, now and days more convenient and faster methods were available, but he'd never forget his first trip aboard the chugging, whistling iron horse.

It certainly brought much needed light and excitement, not to mention relief to his feet that walked the world for over 400 years.

Four hundred? Had it truly been that many years? In all honesty, it likely was more. Unfortunately, the years tended to blend together, and for an immortal such concepts as keeping age weren't particularly necessary from the start.

Still the immortal gave a soft smile at the passing scenery; he lived a pretty good life presently. He and his companions were safe, sheltered, fed, no longer on the move with meals and a bed being restricted to possibilities. Sure, there were a few complications in _how_ they ended up this way, but he knew that so long as they stayed together they would be fine. Especially given their current company, one of which stared boredly out the window from a seat across him.

Tuck's expression softened like that of old friends gazing at a breathtaking sunset after a calm and peaceful day. From the moment they encountered this Detective Agency, he knew they'd found a worthwhile group. Maybe even a place they could truly call home. And while he didn't necessarily need such a place, for Ari and Jay it was all he could ever ask for the two children who lead him to breaking his own rule and thus became central to his life.

Indeed, he feared the day when they no longer stood beside him to make his life worthwhile.

"Attention all passengers, attention all passengers," the overhead speakers blared, prompting heads from all areas of the train to peer up at the voice above them, "We will be arriving shortly. Please make sure to gather your belongings and return to your seats quickly. Again, we will…"

Tuck breathed in, allowing the voice to fade to the background as he gathered a worn book and the files detailing the mission at hand into his suitcase, golden eyes darting to where his companion remained nonchalantly gazing out the window with a lollipop stick peeking out between his lips. A small smile made its way on the immortal's face as he cleared the wrappers and safely packed the surviving sweets away in his pocket.

Of all the people he met, truly this young man was one that stood out among the rest for both his lively personality and impressive intellect. Indeed, Tuck met few others who came even close to this Edogawa Ranpo's skills – most of which only being able to through an ability. He wondered how a meeting between these intelligent persons would play out… Probably in tears and hurt egos.

Nevertheless, he looked forward to this new mission with the young prodigy who could solve any mystery within the blink of an eye. It was truly incredible, and never ceased to amaze Tuck, whose smile widened in anticipation of another spectacular discovery as the locomotive's wheels squealed to a stop.

The world was full of intriguing sights and wonders to behold, and the immortal couldn't help but feel a sense of vivacity as he stepped into the light. He could only hope that this time it lasted longer than the rest, and when it finally did come to a close he'd be able to find peace at last.

Most of all, he didn't know if he could take losing everything again. Cause if he learned one thing in all his years it was that surprises were always just around the corner.

…

And that certainly held true as a frustrated sound like that of a tantrum throwing child erupted from Ranpo's mouth quickly followed by the young detective's face burying itself into a pillow that muffled the preceding moan. Behind a little ways, Tuck softly closed the door that had been callously thrown open and turned a pair of sympathetic eyes on the man, speaking like a soothing parent, "It's alright Ranpo-san, everyone makes mistakes."

"I'm not everyone," came a barely audible reply, one that improved as he shot a glare at the immortal, "I'm the world's _greatest_ detective; any problem is a piece of cake to solve – especially with my ability. Don't lump me in with ordinary people."

"Of course," Tuck nodded, moving to sit across from him in the room's modest living area, "But even extraordinary people have their off-days."

Besides, he added silently, mistakes are what make you _human_ not ordinary.

Ranpo's expression retained notes of bitterness as he huffed and rolled over on his back to stare at the ceiling, "Am I to take that as encouragement? That in your unending life you personally met some legendary detectives who failed? That in the end they were better for it?" he narrowed his eyes, sneering at the thought, "But at what cost?"

Tuck remained silent, a small shiver at how accurate the young man's deductions rang. Indeed, he had happened across many notable figures in his journeys before meeting Aria and Jay, and their missteps were often very costly – especially to those who chose to remain around them. Ranpo was very keen to note the dangers of slipping up. Perhaps that was why he was so frustrated? Because he feared for his comrade's safety? The immortal smiled softly.

Despite his less than stellar personality, Ranpo truly was a kind man.

A sigh heavy in irritation left the man's lips as he pinched the bridge of his nose as if warding off a migraine, muttering just loud enough to hear, "Well not me. I cannot, _will_ not, let some flimsy criminal outwit me when everything logical points to his defeat," he narrowed his eyes scrutinously, "Still, how did he survive? A choice between two identical pills? There is no way he should still be breathing. Unless he pressured them into choosing the wrong one? Or perhaps a hidden antidote..?"

Letting his words drift away, Tuck examined his hands, mulling over the details of the case presented to them. A series of deaths, all linked together by a sinister game that promised a fortune should the participant come out as a victor – a game of chance where the probability of winning was fifty-fifty. Or, at least, it _should've_ been. According to the local authorities, more than thirteen people died from the gambit – a feat impossible by logic's standpoint, and thus astounding Ranpo even as he managed to deduce every other aspect of the case, including narrowing down the killer to three separate figures: a taxi driver, a corporate leader whose business owned a well-known casino, and a former bellhop that frequented many of the bars and gambling dens in the area.

All in all, his wit remained impressive to behold, yet the one escaping detail seemed to eat the young detective from the inside out. And as much as Tuck wanted to help, he felt it necessary for Ranpo to discover the answer on his own if only to reaffirm his position as the world's greatest detective – although, honestly, he really needn't bother in the immortal's opinion. At any rate, it wasn't like he could offer much help as every conjecture he surmised remained merely theory as opposed to the young man's concrete statements. Perhaps he would have done better to bring Jay along, as the teen also held an uncanny knack for seeing straight to the heart of things.

Sudden movement tore his attention upwards where Ranpo swiftly stood and headed toward the door without a word, leaving Tuck to blink and fumble slightly in gathering the key and his jacket before following the man out, "R-Ranpo-kun?"

"I need more information," came the simple response as the young detective walked with purpose in his step as if he knew exactly where he was going.

Tuck sighed and shook his head but continued after him without question. Whatever he had in mind, it was best that they stuck together. An uncanny chill crept up his spine at the prospect of Ranpo encountering the killer, somehow warning that the detective, eager for answers, would blindly accept a death match. The immortal suppressed a shiver.

The thought was so potent it remained with him for the remainder of that day, almost like a premonition of sorts.

It quickly proved true, yet not in the sense he would have thought as he followed a sullen Ranpo out of the tenth underground gambling house hidden away in the city. Well, _formerly_ hidden after the keen detective brashly entered and left with such commotion that authorities were quick to pick up on the illegal activities. Understandably, many curses and death threats were thrown Ranpo's way, but that was not what prompted the frown on Tuck's face as he trailed behind the stumbling man.

"What idiots. They call that a death match? Please, I've seen more threatening rabbits than that poor excuse of a game," Ranpo growled, stumbling slightly from the narcotics swimming like poison in his blood.

"Ranpo-kun…" Tuck spoke up, reaching out in efforts to stop the man from continuing down this reckless path that steadily grew harder and harder for the immortal to tolerate – especially as each destination resulted in loose ends and increasing danger for the detective.

"What kind of challenge has such an obvious answer a two-month old could see it?" the detective continued without indication of even seeing his companion let alone hearing his calls.

"Ranpo-kun, stop."

"Honestly, can _anyone_ in this city actually think?" the young man questioned exasperatedly, holding his hands in the air dramatically only to suddenly be snatched backwards milliseconds before a car zoomed by, its tailwind hungrily pulling his hair and clothes.

"Enough, Ranpo-kun!" Tuck snapped, prompting the named to blink as if just now recognizing his presence.

Unlike his previous, albeit fraying composure, Tuck's expression was wrought with frustration and concern as he narrowed his golden eyes almost painfully, "What do you hope to accomplish by doing this – by consistently endangering yourself for a case?"

"Quit your self-righteous pity party," Ranpo's surprise quickly transformed into a sneering glare, "You couldn't possibly understand. I _must_ be right, and if it means risking my life in order to fulfill that then so be it. _Nothing_ matters so long as the case is solved."

 _Slap!_

Ranpo recoiled from the blossoming pain on his cheek. His head turned slightly and eyes opened wide. Across from him, Tuck glared through the tingling sensation of his palm, speaking lowly yet in a voice laced with tension and newfound distaste he did not think possible in regards to the young prodigy. Indeed, from the moment they met he held hopes of living in a dream-like state of admiration for the promising detective – enough to hold aspirations that he may be able to actually help him. Yet now all he felt was utter disappointment and a haunting agony assault his heart.

"You think it wise to throw away your life over something as foolish as pride? Are you seriously so dense as to believe your life holds that little meaning?" Tuck's voice wavered a little, as he shook his head and sighed to regain some control, "You have so far to go."

Numb shock filled the detective's mind from the immortal's candid words. While he knew they weren't new or unexpected given the amount of times he heard variants of the same speech, something about this time in particular struck a nerve. Perhaps it was because Tuck and his companions were quasi-members of the ADA, or maybe the drugs in his system, but the accusation hit hard. Nevertheless, he was quick to shove down the astonishment and pain in favor of an icy, demeaning glare.

"Who are _you_ to say that I should value _my_ life more?" he seethed as Tuck's frown deepened, "An isolationist who parades around with a façade preaching to me about living a long, meaningful life? Don't flatter yourself."

Angrily, he turned and began storming back to the hotel, hissing under his breath, "Please, you're just an aberration trying to help his own self-esteem."

Without needing to look back, he felt Tuck's flinch and his hurt expression pierce the air but ignored it in favor of reaching the room. The blasted man. Who did he think he was? Sure immortality was not something everyone could boast of, but that did not make him any better than the rest of humanity – especially him. And yet he couldn't push away the pestering reality that even then his ability fell short in fully analyzing the dark-skinned man.

Ranpo grit his teeth, nails digging into his palms.

It vexed him to no end – more so than this silly case. Why couldn't he grasp fully who the immortal was? It was like trying to grab something only for it to turn into vapor the moment his fingers wrapped around it. Was it because he lived so long that everything became blurry? Ranpo glowered. Either way, ever since Tuck step foot into the Agency, his confidence in his skills diminished. Not by a lot, but enough to irk him with its constant presence.

Because if he couldn't solve someone as simple as Tuck, then what right did he hold to be the person everyone believed him to be?

Ranpo let out a frustrated shout as he finally entered the hotel room, slamming the door with more strength than he intended while proceeding to strike the window's ledge with his fists. He glared at the darkening city below. Despite his attempts to direct his thoughts back to figuring out the case and the killer's tactics, he couldn't shake the irksome words that still lingered in his mind alongside a faint emotion he detested to so much as acknowledge.

The young prodigy scowled, his stomach turning uncannily as if he ate too many sweets. Why? Why did a stranger – someone he barely knew – bring about this much sentiment? His word meant _nothing_. He was in control of his own actions. He knew what he was doing, so who was that man to chide him and judge his choices? Ranpo bared his teeth at the fresh memory accompanying the dull stinging radiating from his cheek.

He'd show the immortal which of them was the superior one, that much he was certain.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, warning bells blared as Ranpo noticed for the first time how his nerves recognized something that began as a barely noticeable altercation yet grew to the point where it was impossible not to acknowledge. Unease flooded his veins as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise – eyes widening at the key difference since he step foot in this room.

When had the lights turned off?

Before he could make a move, a hand roughly pressed an old rag over his mouth and nose, pulling him back with enough force he stumbled. Instinctively, Ranpo held his breath and attempted to pry away the hand, digging his nails into the perpetrator's arm. Nevertheless, despite his efforts, the person retained a firm grip, leaving the young detective's struggles to ebb away with each passing second.

Ranpo's head pounded from lack of oxygen, and his eyes scrunched nearly shut – searching desperately for a way out yet coming up blank. He only had seconds now, his burning lungs testified to it. Yet in the midst of everything, of attempting to escape and identify his attacker, the moment of truth came when he finally gave in and an eerily familiar scent washed over seconds before the sickeningly sweet chloroform overwhelmed his senses.

A scent of a particular brand of cigarettes – the exact same brand clinging to the victims' clothes and articles held in storage.

Despite the danger, a wave of euphoria at finding the culprit ran through his veins. While not entirely expected, his plan to lure out the suspect proved worthwhile, only now a new dilemma faced him: how was he going to get Tuck to see his success? Ranpo frowned, feeling his consciousness ebb away. Where was the immortal? Surely he wasn't that upset about their argument. And yet…if he didn't show up, would he be able to make it out alive?

For not the first time, Ranpo was unable to fully ascertain the answer to the question as he felt his senses go numb – form going slack in his attacker's arms. As his vision began tunneling, he made out the blurred, unsteady form of the immortal far below walking into the complex. Instead of feeling a desire to call out for help or even so that he could see the fruits of his efforts and thus take back his earlier conjectures, Ranpo felt a scowl form on his face.

Why? Why was he falling short? Why was Tuck's presence making everything he once thought stable become unbalanced?

Most of all, why did he still feel this shame?

Ranpo's scowl faded, his vision finally dispersing into black. If he couldn't figure out the immortal, how could he call himself the world's greatest detective? How could he retain confidence in his skills?

How could he face everyone at the Agency when he no longer met their vision of a perfect detective who could solve anything and keep their heads high?

The detective didn't know.

And that scared him the more than any threat or demon he faced.

 **Extra: Hair Style**

"Your hair is so pretty Ari-chan! What's your secret?" Naomi inquired from where she held a few strands of mahogany locks in her hands, savoring how they felt as soft as a spring breeze against her skin and glowed a pretty ruby red in the sunlight.

A light pink dusted Ari's cheeks as looked downwards self-consciously, a little taken aback by the unforeseen comment that cut through the mountains of paperwork in front of her – courtesy of her annoying tag along roommate and a hefty portion of boredom and a little desperation to clear any and every route leading out of the slowly confining office. A piece of her wondered if everyone in this country was so upfront. Odd considering she always thought the residents of Japan were more reserved. Perhaps the Agency was an exception? Figures given her luck as of late.

"T-Thanks," Ari stammered, giving a small smile back at Naomi and another female assistant of the group, Haruka she believed was her name, "And I don't know, shampoo?"

"Oh?" a mischievous grin lit the student's features as she continued slyly, "A natural beauty huh? How very lucky of you – you must get all the guys, huh?"

"Please…" the red head huffed in weak attempt of indignation, only causing Naomi's grin to widen as she muttered, "Yours if far prettier. I'd trade in a heartbeat," she gathered the strand from her hands, features gaining some notes of downcast as she finished, "All this seems to bring is unneeded attention…"

The two assistants blinked, surprised at the uncanny sober note in the woman's voice, Haruka speaking softly, "While I can't say that it isn't, uh, unique, I agree with Naomi-chan. Your hair is beautiful Aria-chan, and I think that it is something you should take pride in since it makes you you, you know?"

Ari blinked as Naomi added with more cheer, "Yeah! I love your hair and think _I'd_ be getting the better end of the deal if we were to trade. Even then, I don't think I could honestly pull it off," the teen chagrinned, continuing without missing a beat as she gathered more of her hair in her hands, "But I will say that keeping it up in a ponytail all the time is holding you back. I mean, if you were to try something like this…"

The red-head felt the girl's fingers tug and weave through her hair, pulling it up and around until coming to a semi-messy bun that rested atop her head, the teen smiling proudly at her work, "See? It's much better – especially in this heat, right?"

"Eh?" Haruka frowned, nudging the younger girl over and shifting the bun and twirling a few strands so that it got a braided edge, "I think this suits Aria-chan more so, right?"

Their giggles and lighthearted argument faded in Ari's ears as she kept her eyes pinned on her folded hands, unable to form any words as she felt them continue to play with her hair unabashedly. Everything was so random – even her meeting with Haruka, whom she only saw in passing before then. Everyone here was odd. And yet…

It was…nice.

After what felt like eternity, to simply perform normal girlish things like playing with each other's hair and exchanging in lighthearted talk felt freeing. Not that she hated roaming the world with Tuck and Jay, but more that this was something she hadn't realized she missed. Chatting idly with another person – with another _female_. It was very refreshing; enough to allow the young woman to relax and close her eyes at the blissful sensation of fingers combing her hair and catching slightly as if coming across a bandage or something…

Wait. Bandage?

Ari opened her eyes, glancing back to find to her gross annoyance and partial shock not Naomi, Haruka, or any of the other secretaries, but Dazai sitting cross-legged with a stupid grin on his face as he paused in braiding her hair to comment casually, "You're absolutely right Naomi-chan. Aria-chan's hair is simply wonderful! Almost like silk from China."

Shock held the red-head whose brow twitched as the man weaved strands of her hair together rhythmically, easily capturing the awe of the secretaries – most of which likely didn't think he held the skill. How in the world did he sneak up on her? Was this some ploy to mess with her? And why did she like how the sun made her hair glow a ruby red in his hands?

Ari scowled at the man, pushing the thought out of her mind and deftly pulled away, spurring a disappointed whine as she growled, "Hands off perv. Don't you have better things to do, like I don't know, catch up on all those reports?"

"Boo, you're no fun Aria-chan. All business and no play will leave you with wrinkles, you know?" Dazai said like a concerned friend.

"Please, just being with you gives me grey hairs," Ari muttered, standing and shooting a sullen glare his way, "Which isn't helped by you tying knots into my hair, ass."

Ignoring his pout despite the clownish glint in his eyes, she huffed and glared out the window. She'd have to take care not to let her guard down – especially in this Agency. A small pain for rejecting the kind people of the group ran through her veins, but she shook it away. She of all people knew that smiling faces and kind words easily concealed rancid motives.

And as much as she wanted to deny the possibility in terms of the Agency, she could not take that chance.

She'd already lost everything once; she couldn't go through that again no matter how much she wanted to join them in that warm light.

"Are you alright, Aria-chan?" Haruka gently asked, pulling her attention to the secretary's worried gaze.

"Yeah," Ari smiled, faintly reassuring the woman before Naomi jumped in beside her.

"You know, I think that style really suits you Aria-chan," Naomi complimented, "It's elegant yet not too formal."

"I agree, your hair looks really beautiful like this," one of the secretaries added with a slight blush.

Ari raised a brow as if to say "You think so?" and turned toward her reflection in the window. She looked…different. Typically she just tied her hair up in a messy ponytail, but seeing it in a loose braid draped across her shoulder made her look more like a young woman with a perfect life instead of the wandering nomad she was. A brief moment of acceptance of it passed through before she shook it away.

"It's too fancy for my taste," she stated passingly.

A small smile lit Haruka's face, one soon transforming into a shocked expression as Naomi pulled her to the closest chair, proclaiming it was her turn. The secretary's fumbling words and reddening cheeks were soon concealed by the other secretaries moving to play with the brunette's style, beginning the lighthearted activity once more.

Ari watched from afar, observing them with soft humor like a parent watching their child indulge in an activity they enjoyed long ago. The light surrounding them was a warm golden one that belonged to an entirely different dimension – one that beckoned her to join. However, the soft light drifting over her form from the window kept her in place watching them laugh and enjoy the moment.

And that was enough for her as all eyes remained on the scene, as she lazily brushed the braid on her shoulder with care so that it remained intact.

* * *

Alive once more to give a pretty meh chapter but hey there's an extra bit. Oh and I may switch to A03 in the future for my other stories but probably will keep updating this one at the very least until it is complete (aka eons from now)


	15. I'll Be Your Shield

**Ch. 15 - I'll Be Your Shield**

 _"I will not die for you. I won't put you through that hell. No. I refuse to burden you that way. I will throw myself in harm's way in a heartbeat to protect you, but I will_ live _. I will not die for you – I will live for you."_

\- Anonymous

If Tuck learned anything through his seemingly endless years wandering the Earth, it was one simple truth: human beings make mistakes. And contrary to popular belief he was very much human.

Especially now.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he brushed back his bangs, replacing his top hat to keep them from falling into his face. How careless of him. Ridiculing Ranpo – acting like they were companions for more than a couple of weeks? He messed up big time. And yet the urgency pounding in his veins felt too raw to ignore. Sure, they may not have known each other long, but the immortal tended to form quick bonds – a rather unfortunate trait that only grew worse with his time alongside Aria and Jay.

But even then there was no denying his mistake. He acted too rashly even though his motives were in the right. He should've calmed himself before speaking; scolding Ranpo a little gentler. Maybe then he wouldn't have run off. Maybe then he wouldn't have been pushed into saying those hurtful words…

Those true words.

Tuck exhaled, pulling his head up to gaze at the stairs leading to the floor their room rested on. What was he going to do? What was he going to say? He felt a nagging urge to wander around a while longer, to let things steam off a bit more. But to do so would be a mistake. Yes. If he wanted this problem solved, then he needed to settle the matter as quickly as possible. It was only logical – something he hoped would appeal to the young prodigy as well.

"Ranpo-kun?" Tuck called, knocking softly on their door. He refrained from opening it to give the man some time to adjust if need be as he continued, "Are you here? Listen, about what happened… I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, and I hurt you more than I intended, believe me. However, that does not mean I am taking back what I said."

No response came, and the immortal could only imagine what Ranpo was thinking as he furthered, "You are an amazing young man, and I _do_ believe in your abilities, but I wanted you to realize that there's something far more valuable than a solution to this mystery. You. Ranpo-kun, your life means _so_ much, especially to everyone at the Agency. I stopped you earlier because you were heading down a dangerous path, and even though you may have been in control, I couldn't risk it. I am sorry, but I do not regret my actions – only the effect they unintentionally had on you."

More silence followed, and Tuck shifted on his feet, a light chuckle coming to his voice, "You know, you remind me a lot of my brother. Maybe that's why I care so much about you. Enough that I couldn't stay quiet…."

Sighing, Tuck steeled his nerves, twisting the knob in his hand and pushing the door open, "And it's with that in mind that I need to tell-"

Tuck trailed off, voice falling with his stomach as he peered into the darkness – golden eyes quickly adapting to make out the room. Or, rather, chaotic mess of broken glass and turned over furniture. Indeed, it appeared a tornado ransacked the place. Tornado? No. The immortal's jaw clenched and his heart began to pick up pace. He'd seen this scene far too many times to misplace it.

Leaping into the room, he urgently examined every nook and cranny, eyes frantically searching for a sight he almost did not want to find for fear of the implications. Throwing open a door leading to one of the bedrooms, he practically screamed, "Ranpo?!"

Empty. No one was there. Indeed, he quickly found the only living being alive in the room to be himself. A thought that hardly eased his mind and heart.

Tuck clenched his fists, breathing haphazardly though his nose in explosive breaths like gunshots in the muffled traffic coming from below. What happened? Where was Ranpo? When was he taken? Was he taken?

And if so, how long did he have left?

Tuck grimaced, snatching up his coat and, after a brief moment's hesitation, one of the kitchen knives before storming out the door. His golden eyes hardened and he shot a desperate prayer above as he once more exited the complex.

 _Dearest mother, father, brother... Please, let me get to him in time._

…

Ringing in his ears deafened him as his head spun from dehydration. A loud noise must've sounded close by. Sure, he did not consciously perceive it, but the lingering pain in his ears testified that whomever it was that kidnapped him no longer held the patience to wait for his awakening. Maybe out of urgency, or perhaps eagerness?

Ranpo raised his head, finding the action oppressive against his throbbing skull. A concussion? He did not recall his captor being that rough. Then the after effects of whatever drug lingered in his bloodstream? Either way, he felt miserable.

Blurred vision slowly cleared enough that he made out a man sitting across from him. His legs were crossed as he patiently waited for the detective to come fully to. His casual attire did not say much other than the fact he was a worker – likely white collar by the lack of wear and tear – but recently let off from his original position from the wrinkles in his shirt. Was that a push for him to start killing?

Not bothering to suppress his groan, Ranpo peered scrutinously at the man's dark-rimmed eyes. Wilson's Disease? Was this all for medical bills then? No. That felt too simple. Perhaps an adrenaline rush then? By the way his hands slightly tremored, he likely held a neurological problem as well.

"Awake at last I see. Forgive me for the rougher treatment. It's not every day I am pursued by a well-known detective," the man smiled kindly.

"Best detective," Ranpo corrected with a worn voice that gained strength, "And _captured_."

The man gave a soft chuckle, completely unperturbed by the prodigy. If anything he seemed a little flustered, like a child meeting their super hero, "I suppose. Ah, where are my manners? I know your name, but you still don't know mine."

"Like I care…" Ranpo muttered.

"My name is Tabito," the man spoke without missing a beat, "It's an honor to sit with you, Ranpo-san. I've heard so much about you."

"Really? I can't say the same about you," the detective replied bitingly, adding with a haughty huff, "Well, besides the fact that your recently failed marriage, decline to alcoholism and suicidal tendencies led you to the unfortunate point of being my opponent."

"Ahh… So you were awake then, huh?"

"Unfortunately," the detective confirmed unenthusiastically, scrunching his nose, "You should really clean out your car. It smells like rotten pizza and cheap ramen."

"Wow, the stories really were true then," Tabito praised softly, "It only makes finally meeting with you all the more excited."

"Wish I could say the same," Ranpo muttered. Indeed, now that he finally came face to face with the slippery killer, all previous enthusiasm died – like opening a present and finding that, after a little while of playing with it, it wasn't nearly as fun as the ads made it seem.

"Still," he sighed, coming to a wobbly stand, "It was fun for a little bit, so I'll put in a good word for you to get a nicer cell."

Tabito made no move to stop him, somewhat unnerving the detective. Still, he hardly cared anymore at this point. All he craved now was his bed and some soda.

Or so he thought.

"That would be nice. However, aren't you curious as to _how_ it all happened?" Tabito questioned oily like a serpent.

It effectively stopped Ranpo in his tracks. How _did_ he manage to kill all those people in a game of chance?

Noticing his bait working, Tabito gestured to the seat across from him, "Stay for a little while and I'll be glad to tell you, Ranpo-san."

"And why should I do that?" he challenged.

"Because if you don't then you'll never know," the man countered evenly.

A snide scowl stretched on Ranpo's face, bitter retort on the tip of his tongue. However… He frowned. Not even his ability cleared that fog completely. Sure he was fairly certain in his answer, but not completely. Was it wise to continue into this trap? Dazai certainly would. But then again he was suicidal. So did that make Ranpo the same when he returned to the seat?

"Well," he crossed his arms like an impatient child, "You were saying?"

"Patience, Ranpo-san," Tabito chided lightly, pulling out two objects that made the detective's frown deepen, "Why don't we play a game?"

"No thank you. I'll just win," he answered tersely, eying the pair of pistols laid between them, "Unless you want to get shot."

"Not particularly," the man confessed, "But this is the perfect way to explain my methods. So go on," he gestured, "Pick a gun, Ranpo-san, and you'll have your answer."

So this was how he killed all those people? In a simple twist on the game of Russian roulette? How was that possible? Sure a few strokes of luck made sense, but over twenty? That bordered impossible. Did suicide maniacs hold some illogical favor in these scenarios? Or…he glared through half-lidded eyes at the man. Was it an ability?

"So that's it? A loaded gun on the table and you leave your victims to choose? How unoriginal," Ranpo sneered.

"I suppose I could've been a tad more creative, but simplicity is nice in its own way, you know?" Tabito defended without an ounce of insult at his barbed words as he continued casually, "So? What will it be, Ranpo-san? The right or the left?"

Ranpo scowled, turning to look at the two weapons. Both appeared exactly the same – indeed, as far as he could tell they _were_ the same. He reached for one of them, to test its weight, only for Tabito to stop him with that unnerving smile, "No, no, Ranpo-san. That would be cheating, don't you think?"

The detective scowled, only huffing in response. Game? This was no game. It was a death march. A firing squad.

"As if this entire game wasn't rigged from the start," he growled irately, first signs of unease finally showing.

Tabito smiled as if to say yes, water is wet but you still need to bathe. It infuriated him at the same time as a bead of cold sweat dripped down his head. Of all the times for an immortal with an affinity to time to be late… But then again, they did not part on the best of terms. Did he doom himself? Or was Tuck seconds from saving him?

He didn't know, feeling once again sick by the sensation. However, he knew his time was all but up. If he failed to choose, then his odds really were zero. Yet by the way Tabito smirked, was choosing a gun any different?

Taking a steadying breath, Ranpo brushed his fingers against the barrel of the right gun, gauging the man's facial features scrutinously for any sign of triumph or surprise. None came, making him scowl. He must be drugged up on something to remain this passive in the presence of his apparent idol. That or he was far more experienced in maintaining a seamless mask than he first thought.

"Is that your choice, Ranpo-san?" he asked politely.

The detective scowled, feeling the urge to jump to the other but ignoring it as he hissed, "Yes. Now can we finally get going? These games are growing old fast."

"Of course," Ranpo exhaled only to freeze at the sound of a gun clicking off safety. Emotionlessly, he stared into the barrel of the weapon pointed at him, Tabito's smile curling into a twisted version of its former self, "But I'm afraid it won't be a very pleasant trip for you."

"You cheated," Ranpo seethed between his clenched teeth, "There's no way I could actually lose to someone like you."

"Oh? I never took you as a sore loser, Ranpo-san," the man tilted his head with a small frown.

"I'm _not_ ," he growled, "Because there were never winners or losers in this game – because it was never a game to begin with."

The demented grin spread on his face unnaturally, "But you found your answer, did you not?"

He pulled the hammer back, aiming the barrel directly between Ranpo's vibrant green eyes that glared in defiance and traces of apprehension at coming face-to-face with death. He should've dragged Yosano along with. No. He couldn't go with all the "what ifs". He had to remain here in the present – here where he held a chance of escape. The _had_ to be one. He just needed to find one.

Unfortunately, time ticked mercilessly down, and with each tick his heart beat faster. Just when he thought it'd leap out of his chest, Tabito grinned wickedly, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ranpo-san. I look forward to meeting your lively companions. If they can actually find me, that is."

Ranpo tensed. The others, he couldn't let them walk into this blindly. He wouldn't, and yet what could he do? The trigger shifted as Tabito slowly, tortuously pulled back, never once looking away from Ranpo's grudging glare as if refusing to accept Death itself could beat him in that moment.

Yet even he could not expect what happened next.

Seconds before the deafening sound of the gun shooting off filled the room, a force shoved him to the ground – out of range of the deadly bullet. Ranpo groaned, body quickly stiffening in shock as he recognized just what occurred. Above, Tabito's ringed eyes were just as wide as his. His mouth opened in astonishment as time seemed to slow uncannily.

Warm, sticky blood landing on Ranpo's cheek shook him back to the present as Tuck collapsed in front of his feet. A scarlet wound blossomed from the shattered opening in his skull, blood oozing and nearly making him lose his stomach. What… What just happened?

"T-Tuck…?" he rasped, reaching forward only to flinch at how _cold_ he was. Ranpo sucked in an uneasy breath. Was he… It wasn't possible… No. It was. He grit his teeth. He knew immortality was too good – too powerful of an ability to be true.

Nevertheless…. He hung his head. Of all the times to be right… He never wished to be wrong so badly than in that moment.

"What a fortunate man you are, Ranpo-san," Tabito observed with emotionless eyes that made Ranpo's blood boil for no apparent reason, "To have such a loyal pawn who would willingly sacrifice himself for you."

"Friend," Ranpo spat, making the man's brows raise a fraction of an inch as the detective seethed, "He is – _was_ a friend. And I wish I could say the same for you, cause the only thing coming your way is a dark, musky, hell when I'm through with you."

"Oh? Then let me give a prediction of my own," he pulled the other gun from the table, making Ranpo scowl as he pulled the hammer back, "Your friend won't be alone in the afterlife for very long."

The tension in the room borderlined tangible, nearly exploding as a weak groan sounded between them. Blinking, both stared dumbfounded as Tuck stirred, sitting up and rubbing where the bullet pierced his head, "Ahh, that's gonna hurt in the morning…"

"W-What?" Tabito staggered back, face losing color quickly.

Ranpo stared in just as much shock, watching as Tuck pulled his bloodied hand away to reveal… An actual gasp tore from the detective's throat as the spot where the gruesome wound should've been was nothing more than a small bald patch easily covered by the man's dark hair. He wasn't lying. He truly was immortal.

"Still…" Tuck continued without missing a beat, smiling calmly at the killer, "You're a fairly good shot, Tabito-san."

The named jerked back as if slapped, far too stunned to do anything as the immortal shifted to do just that – knocking him to the ground with ease and kicking away the weapon. Ranpo watched in silent awe as Tuck finished politely while cuffing his hands, "However, I think it's high time this game of yours ended. It's never a good game when someone gets hurt."

Tabito merely lay there, completely aghast and confounded at what just happened. His stupor was likely to keep him there a good while longer. Plenty of time for the authorities to pick him up. Still, Ranpo could hardly comprehend what happened himself. Was this the first time Tuck did this? Had Aria and Jay witnessed him…die before? Most jarring of all…

Why would he sacrifice himself for him?

"Ranpo-kun, are you alright?!" Tuck suddenly appeared before him, golden eyes bursting with relief and parental concern as he examined the bruises and scrapes lining his cheeks.

Of course not. How could anyone who just watched someone _die_ possibly be alright? Well, watch someone sort of die. It didn't matter. Ranpo felt like puking and screaming and hugging the man at the same time, but settled for something a little more subtle.

"Of course I'm fine. I'd be better if you'd gotten here faster," he scoffed halfheartedly. Tuck blinked, expression sobering as he noted the emotions flowing through his emerald eyes as he rose to his feet, muttering, "Let's get going already. This place is too boring for my taste."

Chuckling softly, Tuck followed after him.

…

Dying sunlight trickled through the blinds of the Detective Agency as Tuck exhaled deeply, pushing back from typing Ranpo's side of the report. They'd only just returned from their journey, and upon his insistence they stopped by the office to finish off things before going home. Oddly enough, Ranpo didn't fight it too much, making him slightly worry that he was more affected by Tabito's game than he said.

Nevertheless, he did not push the subject, instead commenting lightly, "And that should cover everything. Now all I need is to add my part and we're finished. Ah, feel free to go home if you want though. I know all this traveling must be exhausting for you."

Ranpo murmured something he couldn't catch, shifting off the desk he sat on. However, instead of leaving like he expected, the prodigy simply stared at him with narrowed eyes, prompting Tuck to continue uncertainly, "Ranpo-kun?"

The detective looked as if he wanted to say something, but before he could another voice startled them into glancing at the only other person remaining in the dark office, "Finished already?"

"Ah, Fukuzawa-kun, I didn't think you were still here," Tuck greeted with a small smile, "And we're almost there. Just need to add some finishing touches and we'll be done. Although, I think I may leave that until tomorrow," he chagrined, rubbing his head where bandages Ranpo insisted on wrapping around his head tangled with his hair.

Fukuzawa frowned at them, prompting the immortal to reassure, "Don't worry, this is nothing. By morning you won't even notice a difference."

Ranpo bit his lip, visibly tensing from where he stopped in front of the doorway. His form trembled with an urge to spit it _wasn't_ nothing. That he _died_. But to do so all of the sudden seemed foolish. Nevertheless, it failed to wipe away the horrid image of his motionless, bloodied body lying at his feet.

However, Fukuzawa beat him to speaking as the man spoke solemnly, "You should take better care of yourself for the sake of those who hurt for you. I will not tolerate agents who throw themselves in danger – even if they are immortal."

Tuck blinked, both at his underlying meaning and how he referred to him as an agent. Glancing to where Ranpo stared at them, he gave a contrite look – one the detective easily caught and huffed while turning back to the door as Tuck chuckled lightly, returning his gaze to Fukuzawa, "Well, would it be improper of me to take my new boss out for some tea?"

Fukuzawa blinked, Ranpo speaking for him as he opened the door, "It isn't normal, but I suppose for the Agency it's nothing surprising. I suggest the store three blocks from here. They have really good daifuku."

The two men exchanged glances, Tuck smiling as Ranpo called impatiently, "Well? Are you coming or not?"

Tuck chuckled, following with the leader in tow, "Yes, yes. We're right behind you, Ranpo-kun."

* * *

Ahhh when was the last time I was able to actually sit down and write about these lovely characters? Too long, and I'm afraid it's showing, although maybe I'm still just fawning over how light-years more amazing Kuranoa's Definition of Vanity on AO3 is (READ THAT MASTERPIECE IT WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH AND CRY AND SUFFER BUT IT IS WORTH IT).

Anyways, go Tuck for passing.

Hope you all enjoy


	16. Until Morning

**Ch. 16 - Until Morning**

" _Sitting silently beside a friend who is hurting may be the best gift we can give."  
-Anonymous  
_

Dazai was acting…weird.

Okay, he's _always_ acting weird. But this time he was even weirder.

Case and point: his eerily quiet eating of breakfast. Breakfast. The guy was actually eating something more than a haphazardly snatched can of crab or piece of bread. That in and of itself made Ari almost turn around and go back to bed – convinced she was still sleeping. No. It was when he calmly went out to work without a single complaint that really made her question if she was seeing things.

"I know, I know. But _how_ does he look?" she pinched the bridge of her nose while holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she shifted a few bags to open the door to the apartment.

"Uh… Normal?" Tuck replied in confusion, Jay adding sardonically, "Jeez Ari, if you really want to know then just _come over_."

"On my day off? Not a chance," she growled. Although, what a day off it was turning out to be. Heck. She _finally_ got a chance to be away from the bandaged man (odd, maybe they were starting to finally trust her?) only to have his well-being nag at the back of her mind. She suppressed a groan. He probably planned this. No. He definitely did.

And yet…

"I thought you hated Dazai," Jay spoke between the rumbling of a car engine coming to life and sounds of him shifting in the vehicle, "Don't tell me all that time together actually made the two of you friendly."

"Hardly," Ari spat, groaning as she felt him roll his eyes, "Just- Ugh. I don't know, make sure he doesn't kill himself alright? It's his turn to wash dishes."

Not waiting for a reply, she hung up the phone and plopped down on her futon. Something was up. No, she did not care for the idiot in that way. She just wanted to know why he was being weird. Because whatever charade he was playing was bound to blow up in her face later on.

"That damn man…" she muttered, "Of course he'd pull something like this on my day off…"

Getting up, she tried to ignore it by methodically putting away the groceries and organizing the fridge and cabinets – throwing away a good portion of expired food and half-drunk sake. Where did they get all of this? Surely it wasn't here a few days ago? Ari frowned, scrunching her nose at the sour smell of one of the opened bottles before glancing where Dazai's room peered out of a small crack in his open door.

She frowned, morals telling her no but irritation at feeling helplessly in the dark shoving her forward without shame. Pushing open the door, she was mildly surprised to find his room rather tidy aside from the couple of empty cans and bottles lying around. Other than that the place was rather…empty. Like void of any decorations or personality aside from the litter. Sure, this was Dazai, someone she quickly found held heaps and mountains of secrets, but it unsettled her nonetheless.

Never before had she asked or frankly cared about what he hid from the world, but now she wondered if that was a mistake. Perhaps she should look under the mask – maybe they all needed to see what demons the man was harboring….

Ari blinked, shaking her head. No. She didn't care to see his true colors (as if they were any different from the pest she already identified him as), only that having such intel would make getting out easier. Not to mention maintaining her hold in blackmailing him. As frustrating as that was quickly becoming with him nonchalantly following more on whim then actual obedience. Seriously, did this guy even care he was being manipulated? If anything, it felt more than simple enjoyment – like _he_ was the one toying with her.

She growled, throwing back the pastel blue blanket covering his futon. The damn man would learn just how wrong he was – she'd personally make sure to take a photo of his stupid reaction right alongside a video of him-

A flash of color disrupted her plans, making Ari blink down at a…match box?

"Huh? Does that idiot smoke?" she murmured, picking it up and shaking it. Sounded like there were a few matches left.

Ari frowned, turning over the box in her hand. There's no way Dazai was smoking. She'd been pretty much glued to his side for days now. If he smoked, she'd smell it a mile away and Jay would've made some snarky comment like when Tuck almost picked up the habit, thinking it was cool.

So why did he keep these?

She turned it over once more, pausing as a face peered back at her. It was an old man with nice looking formal attire – like that she saw in Broadway movies. He…looked nothing like anyone she saw. Who was he? Or what was he from?

Ari frowned, pulling out her phone and searching "Old man, matchbox, Yokohama". Sure, the last one was a whim, but after a few minutes scrolling by laughable interpretations of the three keywords she happened upon an exact match. A small gasp left her lips as Ari clicked on it, "Gotcha!"

The man was from a…bar?

"Eh?" Ari deadpanned, surprised yet completely expecting something exactly like this of the man.

Lupin's bar. That's where the matchbox came from. A bar in the southern part of the city. Was it some place he frequented before they met? Or perhaps a happenstance?

Whatever it was, there was only one way to find out. Ari rose, not bothering to conceal her snooping. Not like he could really defend himself after she caught him blatantly lounging on her bed – leaving crumbs as he read lazily from his book. Still, would he try to stop her if he figured out she was visiting a place he withheld from her?

Ari shook her head. No. She was reading too far into this. For all she knew this was another one of his tricks. Yes. That sounded right. And the quicker she dispelled it the more time she'd have for a relaxing bath before he returned. Maybe then she'd tie him down and force the weirdness out of him.

Pulling on her coat, she grabbed her keys and phone, pausing only briefly to look at the matchbox in her hand before shoving it in her pocket and closing the door.

…

Soft jazz filled the warm room, imparting a sense that one travelled back in time from the bustling city above. Back when things were simpler. When skies were less tainted by smog, and more innocence abounded. Well, maybe not the latter, but compared to the murkiness that coated the world since then, the bronzed reflection of days long past felt comforting and appealing.

And completely nothing Ari would expect Dazai ever walking into let alone taking a souvenir from.

Settling down on one of the bar stools, the red head fought not to shudder. While not new, this bar in particular felt off from the others. Perhaps because it was a bit old timey? Or maybe the fact Dazai was affiliated with the establishment? He was a member of Port Mafia. As idiotic as he was, that darkness tended to cling to others regardless of their attempts to wash it off.

After all, she was not entirely sure he even truly left in the first place.

"You seem troubled, Miss. Are you certain this is the place you want to be with such an expression?"

Ari blinked, looking up to find a red-clad bartender observing her with worn, grey-blue eyes, replying after a moment to establish he was not some illusion, "Uh… Sure? I don't know. Shouldn't you be _encouraging_ me to drink, not pushing me away?"

"Not all business revolves around money alone, Miss," the elder replied kindly.

"I suppose…" she responded at length, dubious expression still clear in her features. Be that as it may, she sighed, "At any rate, this is the only place I can think of being at. Nowhere else makes sense. Besides…" Ari muttered with a sidelong glance, "I'd rather not face that annoying idiot when he's being so weird."

The bartender blinked, unsure as what to say to such an odd rambling. In the end, a small chuckle left his lips as he slid over a whisky on the rocks, "Well, feel free to stay as long as you'd like. Or rather until closing. As much as I sympathize, we all should return home eventually, right?"

"Home? As in that moron's apartment? Hardly," Ari scowled sourly, taking a sip only to cough at the burning sensation down her throat.

Her actions only made his smile widen as he laughed, "It is a place to rest your head nonetheless, right? Either way, I'm sure that friend of yours is blessed to have you."

Ari deadpanned, "Friend? Osamu? Are you seriously alright, old man? You sure _you_ should be here?"

The bartender chuckled, shaking his head. What a strange woman. Walking into his establishment and then proceeding to say such things so easily – as if she was a child completely unaware of the power of her words. Or perhaps bold enough to not care should unwanted listeners use the intel against her?

So strange indeed.

Just like those three.

"What's with that face?" Ari pouted, drawing him from his reminiscing.

"Nothing. Just an old man reliving a bit of his glory days," the man replied sunnily, shifting to lean on the counter and give a soft smile, "Would you care to hear?"

"Sure," the woman shrugged, "I've got nothing but time to kill at this point."

A warm glow surrounded them as the elder told a tale of three men – each so different it was a mystery they met in the first place. Mystery? Well, perhaps not for a city such as Yokohama. Nonetheless, their interactions and bond proved mesmerizing and foreboding at the same time.

Leading to an irreplaceable memory, and an unforgettable tragedy.

…

Vibrant city life echoed from beyond the black expanse – so vigorous even as it faded a little in its journey from that far shore to his ears. The wind it rode on was cold and accompanied by spasmodic bursts from the roaring vehicles behind that cast fleeting light on his form as it perched precariously atop rough concrete guardrails meant to protect rather than sit on.

Yet even with his feet dangling over the edge, Dazai's heartbeat hardly changed.

Staring into the barely recognizable waters far below, his mind wandered in their invisible currents. Memories he didn't know he wanted to keep or destroy filled in the gaps created by solitude and quietness. Only this time they were far more cutting. And why not? Today was the anniversary of that day, after all. And despite not being prone to sentiment, he couldn't help the way his chest felt heavy.

Why? Why was this time so different? What changed?

" _Aria can grant your wish as well, Dazai-kun."_

Ah. That's it. Because of them – because of his words. Words that changed things. Words that brought unspeakable hope. Hope that made it so much heavier than blank indifference.

Words that made him reflect upon that wish – on his blind striving toward that future.

A future where he was truly a good person.

Dazai sighed, kicking his legs absentmindedly in the air. How unpleasant. Weren't these feelings supposed to make things easier? Then why did they only complicate things? It didn't make sense. Were they even worth believing in? Worth prolonging this dark night?

"Thought you'd be here, you suicidal maniac."

Turning, Dazai returned the calculated smile to his features, regaining its former strength as the day at last faded like the stars above as he greeted casually, "Of course. A view like this can't be found just anywhere, you know?"

Ari frowned, her teal eyes swimming with irritation and…was that pity? Ah. So she visited that place after all. He held an inkling upon returning home only to find his room rummaged through. Oddly enough it did not anger him. Only spurred a numb surprise and fueled him to wandering here.

"Did you have a nice day off, Aria-chan?" he asked softly, voice barely reaching above the traffic tearing at their clothes greedily.

She made no sound, instead studying him with those piercing eyes. Eyes that spoke clearly of the turmoil and questions plaguing her mind. What did she think of him after learning about Odasaku? Did she know about that man? Or was it something else? No. His eyes flickered to her hand clutching a familiar match box. Going to that place? There was no doubt about it.

Pushing away the unease rising in his stomach at feeling her gaze slowly peel away his skin, Dazai chuckled, "Is there something on your mind? No, that's a silly question. After visiting that place I'm sure you have a ton of questions."

Ari's frown deepened but she finally spoke, "They were your friends, right? From the mafia."

Straight to the point as ever. Dazai gave a small smile, "Something like that. Although one turned out to be a triple agent and the other…" he trailed off, turning back to the darkness and giving a bitter expression, "Was a good friend."

Her eyes narrowed. Was? So that man's intuition was correct. Even so, Dazai? Having a friend? In the mafia of all places? It felt so impossible and wrong, yet the barely noticeable sorrow dripping through his mask spoke volumes on their relationship. Did that mean he told the truth about leaving Port Mafia? Or maybe that too was a ruse.

 _What happened to you to prompt such a horrid expression?_

Images of that tragedy flashed unwelcomingly in his mind as Dazai reflected silently. He could practically smell the overwhelming stench of death and blood sticking to his hand. Of those fading blue eyes and rasped words. Of that demon and his fall – something that made him unconsciously lean forward into the blackness if only to escape the agonizing memories.

Ironically enough, when something bumped into him and nearly sent him over the edge, his body reflexively tensed and held onto the rough concrete barrier.

"You don't have to force yourself to explain anything to me, idiot," she murmured gently for perhaps the first and only time to him.

Dazai blinked, expression melting into something faintly warm as he cocked his head, "Really now? Most people would be dying to know. I'm surprised you don't, although I suppose you did say the other day that you couldn't care less."

"Of course," Ari huffed indignantly only to add in a child-like mutter, "Although I am a bit curious – only because you're probably up to no good and I'm not going to let you trick me. Still…" she trailed off with a small yawn testifying to her running around all day, "I won't push at the subject if you don't want to go down that road."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Nothing," she quickly replied, adding in a small voice he had to strain his ears to hear over the sound of cars roaring by, "Just that I understand a little. After Rothenberg I didn't want to speak about it let alone remember for a while, but even then Jay stayed with me and while we didn't talk his presence alone was nice. Like I was hurting, but I wasn't alone in that darkness."

So did that mean she was trying to do the same for him? To sit with him in this darkness? Was that even possible? Dazai's chest hurt a little more, but he forced a tiny smile on his face, "You sure you're feeling alright, Aria-chan? Not that I mind sitting with you and possibly falling to our deaths. But you're awfully kind all of the sudden. It's a bit weird."

"Please, if anyone's been acting weird it's _you_ idiot."

"Is that so? I think you sitting with me until I get better is weirder."

Ari huffed, "Don't be ridiculous, I'm only staying here til sunrise, or at the very least out of spite so you won't be able to jump off and fulfill that crazy dream of yours. Once morning comes, you can walk back yourself."

"How mean, Aria-chan," he chuckled. Nonetheless, a subtle weight pressed against her back as he leaned against her, murmuring so quietly she barely caught the words above the traffic and breeze, "Thank you…"

If she heard, she gave no indication as silence settled over the pair. Night continued onwards, blackness cut fewer and fewer times by passing cars and motorists. Eventually, all remained quiet and still. The city that rarely slept finally found some peace at last. A peace that wouldn't last yet was all the more precious to the bandaged man as he lifted his gaze to the blurred stars.

A chill breeze swept over, but the warmth flooding from his back shielded him from its claws while a faint tickle of hair caressed his cheek. He breathed in, catching notes of her familiar scent. Familiar… When did it become so familiar? Perhaps it was yet another quaint trait of the woman – the person who seemed to pull out everything despite his efforts to keep some things concealed.

Like Odasaku.

Dazai exhaled. The pain of that memory still weighed heavily on his heart, and he didn't know how to feel about Aria's prying. What consequences came of that? She knew about his past, or at least a tiny fraction, but this bit was far more intimate than his profession. Indeed, it felt like a curtain snatched callously back to peer inside him. He definitely did not enjoy that, and yet…

Maybe it was okay.

Maybe allowing someone to peer inside, to defy the code of the mafia ingrained in his bones, was a good thing. Maybe it would help him achieve his goals. Maybe it would even help him move on.

And maybe, just maybe, breathing would become a little less painful.

Dazai blinked, suddenly finding the blackness lighten to a dark navy hue. Disorientation buzzed along his skin. He must've dozed off. How much time had passed? His back felt chilly.

Looking over his shoulder, he found the space where Ari rested empty. Had she left? It wasn't dawn yet. Did that mean something happened? No. He'd have awakened. Or… Perhaps she was never there to begin with – that the red-head was merely a hallucination conjured up by his mind like the phantoms of Odasaku wandering in the corners of his vision all that day.

The bandaged man frowned. Was he right in seeking truth in Tuck's prediction? Was it okay for him to seek an easy way out – one that cut his promise short? To be fair, Odasaku did point out there would be no light for his path. And yet…

Dazai placed a hand over his shoulder, fingers seeking the ghosts of Ari's warmth. Could he have been wrong? Could he dare to hope for something like that after everything? Was he willing to believe that?

"Osamu!"

He flinched, turning around with a curious expression where the voice came from. Among the few passing cars, he made out a silhouette waving with child-like excitement at him, "Come on sleepy-head! You're going to miss it!"

Miss what? What was she talking about?

Dazai frowned but shifted off the barrier and lightly jogged to where the woman stood. His eyes darted left and right, up and down – searching for any signs of danger. When he came up empty, his frown deepened. Was she trying to trick him? Retaliation for all his teasing? Yet right when a wry smirk began pulling up his lips, she grabbed his sleeve and tugged his attention to where her finger pointed to the horizon.

"Look!" Ari breathed, voice hushed in reverence as streaks of light began painting the navy canvass of sky.

Breathtaking purple and violet paved the way for shades of rosy pink and magenta, hewn with golden orange and yellow – like gentle flames igniting the sky in a masterpiece. Soft clouds reflected the colors, creating rolling hills in the sky. As the light spread, Dazai found himself unconsciously turning and observing as it bloomed across the entire sky, making the black silhouettes of Yokohama's towers and skyscrapers, usually so bold and consuming, fade to the background.

Was this what she wanted to show him? It was beautiful, there was no doubt about it. Be that as it may…

He observed Ari's genuine smile. Her hair practically glowed in the light, flowing in the soft sea breeze as if trying to become the air itself. Joined with the pure, adoring light transforming her eyes into precious gems, she appeared more ethereal than human. A soft smile lit his face. To find such awe in something so ordinary… Tuck must be pulling his strings. Nevertheless…

Dazai turned, watching the sunrise quickly climax to something unforgettable, finding the silence much more peaceful as a rare solace surrounded them – forever freezing that moment in their minds even as the colors faded and life once more continued onwards.

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed the hints of fluff in this chapter. Dazai and Ari are very much a slow burn, but this scene does play a vital part in their relationship to come. Although we still have a loooong way til then. As for her learning about Odasaku, it is via the bartender's observations, so keep that in mind moving forward and the viability of games like telephone as they play a somewhat big role in this work.

Anyways, Happy Easter everyone.

Until next time~

 _NOTE: I am mainly focusing on my AO3 account so updates may be a little delayed for this story here; if you want slightly less delay then feel free to come on over. If not will see you next time_


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